Human Exposure to Mercury and Silver Released from Dental Amalgam Restorations

Abstract

In 35 healthy individuals, the number of amalgam surfaces was related to the emission rate of mercury into the oral cavity and to the excretion rate of mercury by urine. Oral emissions ranged up to 125 μg Hg/24 h, and urinary excretions ranged from 0.4 to 19 μg Hg/24 h. In 10 cases, urinary and fecal excretions of mercury and silver were also measured. Fecal excretions ranged from 1 to 190 μg Hg/24 h and from 4 to 97 μg Ag/24 h. Except for urinary silver excretion, a high interplay between the variables was exhibited. The worst-case individual showed a fecal mercury excretion amounting to 100 times the mean intake of total Hg from a normal Swedish diet. With regard to a Swedish middle-age individual, the systemic uptake of mercury from amalgam was, on average, predicted to be 12 μg Hg/24 h.