Significance to health of mercury used in dental practice: a review. Council on Dental Materials and Devices. Council on Dental Research.

Prepared by N. W. Rupp, DDS G. C. Paffenbarger, DDS, Washington, DC In view of the widespread interest and concern over possible mercury poisoning and mercury pollution of rivers and lakes, th is review of the literature was undertaken for the mem bers of the profession to de­ termine in what way, if any, dentistry is implicated. The review evaluates the exposure of the patient to mercury and the long-term exposure of dental per­ sonnel, makes suggestions for m inimizing any pos­ sible mercury hazards to the patient and dental per­ sonnel, and restates methods of disposing of mer­ cury residue and waste amalgam to avoid any pos­ sible contamination of the environment through dental procedures. This review does not indicate any significant hazard to the patient. There is no contamination of the environment if proper office procedures are followed and if scrap amalgam is collected and salvaged. Further, the review con­ cludes that proper mercury hygiene minimizes any possible danger to dental personnel. The report, however, re-emphasizes the importance of the eval­ uation from time to time by the profession of its procedures as new information becomes available on the physiological significance of the increased exposure to mercury from all sources.