WICHITA - Officials Concern Over Silver Dental Fillings, May Pollute River and Taint Fish

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Dentists drilled over rising mercury levels

Wichita officials suggest silver teeth fillings, which contain mercury, threaten to pollute the Arkansas River and taint fish.

By Jean Hays The Wichita Eagle March 19, 2000

Next time you visit the dentist to have a filling replaced, expect more fuss and possibly more expense to save the environment.

Old silver amalgam fillings contain mercury.

The amount of mercury being washed down the dentists' drains is too high, according to the city of Wichita, which has been sampling water in sewer lines downstream of dentists' offices.

It's so high, the city is worried the mercury will pollute the Arkansas River, cause health problems for the people who eat fish from the river and get the city in trouble with the federal Environment Protection Agency.

As a dose of preventive medicine, the city is contacting 200 dentists and asking them to voluntarily cut in half the amount of mercury that washes down their drains, through the city's sewage treatment plant and into the river.

If the dentists don't voluntarily reduce mercury levels, they could face costly regulations and even fines in five to six years, said Becky Gagnon, the city's industrial pre-treatment director.

"On a personal note I see that this is greatly needed," said Marianne Lee, one of many dental professionals who has met with the city. She added that the program, which will cost time and money, really didn't sound all that voluntary.

"I don't see that we have a choice," she said.

For decades, mercury has been used in silver amalgam fillings. Many dentists have switched to less toxic materials to fill cavities, but some still use mercury.

It is said to be stable as long as it is locked inside the filling.

The problem arises not when the cavities are filled, but when the fillings come loose and need to be removed. The tiny bits of mercury drilled out of a patient's mouth collect in the traps of chairside sinks or are suctioned out and flushed down the drain.

Since the sewage treatment plant is unable to remove mercury, the metal flows into the river along with the rest of the treated wastewater.

The city is still studying exactly what it wants dentists to do. They may be able to attack the problem by frequently replacing filters in chairside sinks or suction equipment, or they may be asked to spend up to $1,500 a year on equipment to filter mercury out of their wastewater, a move that could add about $2 to the cost of getting a filling replaced.

The average dentist's office replaces about 15 to 20 fillings a week, which produces about a pound of mercury a year.

That's not much, but mercury is so toxic it doesn't take much to raise alarms, Gagnon said.

A gram -- enough for about two fillings -- can contaminate a 22-acre lake to point the fish aren't safe to eat, she said.

Wichita is not alone in its scrutiny of dentists.

Duluth, Minn., has banned the use of mercury fillings. Seattle also is asking dentists to voluntarily reduce the amount of mercury sent down the drain.

More cities are expected to take action as the EPA encourages states to reduce the amount of mercury found in rivers and streams.

The main health threat, the agency says, comes from eating contaminated fish.

In waterways, mercury reacts with bacteria that changes it to its most toxic form, mythlmercury. It accumulates in plankton, which is eaten by tiny fish, which are eaten by bigger fish, and eventually by humans.

Mercury attacks the nervous system in adults. Those most vulnerable are unborn babies whose mothers eat contaminated fish. Exposure can affect the babies' developing nervous system and lead to delays in walking and talking.

About 40 states have warned residents to limit consumption of fish from certain lakes or rivers because of mercury poisoning.

Kansas has not issued any health advisories yet, but the amount of mercury found in the state's fish is steadily increasing, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Jean Hays writes about the environment. Reach her at 268-6557 or jhays@wichitaeagle.com.

http://www.wichitaeagle.com/news/environment/docs/mercury0319_txt.htm



-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 19, 2000

Answers

Very good thing to be concerned about - hadn't thought about what goes down the drain. But HOW BIZARRE - not one mention in the article that this stuff is in your teeth and what is it doing to you there. It says "A gram -- enough for about two fillings -- can contaminate a 22-acre lake to point the fish aren't safe to eat, she said." And how many fillings are in YOUR mouth! No one in the article made the obvious connection!

My mouth has none - got them out! See my amalgam info on webpage

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), March 19, 2000.


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