A study found the amount of mercury excreted from dental fillings in 86 million Americans exceeded the safety limits of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Researchers reviewed the urinary mercury excretion of more than 150 million Americans between 2015-2018 using the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, according to a June 14 news release. They found a significant relationship between the number of dental amalgam filling surfaces in the mouth and amounts of mercury excreted. Of the group examined, 86 million people were found to have mercury excretions in excess of California safety standards, 16 million of whom also exceeded the less restrictive U.S. safety standards.
The study was published June 4 in Human and Experimental Toxicology and was funded by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology.