Amalgam fillings.

[MomSuz]

Hi Dr Hale. I have a tooth with an old silver amalgam filling. The tooth needs a crown ( would have to remove this old filling). I'm nursing my sweet, healthy 17 month old daughter and am considering weaning due to mercury exposure, we are currently only nighttime nursing and occasional daytime for security. What are your thoughts on this ? Wean? Keep nursing? How much Mercury would she be exposed to? Would continuing to nurse and getting the crown ( amalgam removal) be ok? Thanks in advance. Concerned mommy

[admin]

MomSuz,

We suggest if your tooth is not bothering you to wait to remove the silver filling (amalgam) and get the crown until you are finished nursing. However if the tooth is bothering you there are several routine precautions that the dentist could use when removing the old amalgam. Because heat during the grinding process can vaporize the mercury and enhance absorption by the mother, suggest that the dentist use copious amounts of cold water irrigation to minimize heat, use a rubber dam to isolate her mouth from the particles, and use an alternate source of air (oxygen) to minimize mercury vapor inhalation during removal of the amalgam. People are exposed to mercury everyday by heavy fish consumption, light bulbs, etc., Your child is older and not nursing very often so if the dentist will use the recommended precautions it is probably ok.

Sandra Lovato R.N.
InfantRisk Center
806-352-2519