The New Straits Times, May 13, 2001
By Professor Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Last month, a Malaysian dentist-cum-inventor did us proud. Dr Radhakrishnan demonstrated that if there is a will, there is always a way by formulating a new safer dental fillings.
Currently is involves mercury, the safety of which has been of much concern (NST, April 10).
For the last three decades, few were aware of the presence of traces of mercury in some dental fillings. Mercury, a liquid at room temperature, will dissolve most metals in it to form an amalgam.
The dental amalgam used worldwide is made of silver, tin, zinc and copper, apart from mercury. The proportion for mercury is normally the highest.
Allegedly traces of mercury in its free form exist in the silver-tin-copper amalgam as only silver is said to be able to combine with the mercury to form a stable compound.
Even then not all the mercury reacts with silver to make the alloy completely safe.
Here is where the new dental filling calles "Silverfil", launched mid-April, marked a major departure. According to the Dr Radhakrishnan, Silverfil has 'no traces' of mercury once it hardens in the teeth.
The product, in powder form, is made from a silver material that reacts completely with mercury. As a result, 'the chemical reaction during amalgamation forms a dental filling with no traces of free mercury,' explained Dr Radhakrishnan. In short, it is safe.
The problem with amalgam is basically mercury poisoning, also known as Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome (DMS).
Therefore, mercury like that of fluoride is a cause for concern to health of many, unknowing. This column has previously argued the case for the prevention of fluoride poisoning; it is now time to consider the case of mercury.
Cases of mercury toxicity has been noted since the Roman days. In recent times, a classical example is the Japanese case when more than 120 people were poisoned after eating fish contaminated by an industrial effluent.
The condition, known as 'Minamata disease', is traced to methyl mercury that accumulates in the brains of those consuming poisoned fish. Similar cases have also been recorded in Guatamala, Iraq and Pakistan.
Mercury is a toxic heavy metal and is readily available in nature. It can be found in the environment in several forms, the most toxic is methyl mercury, produced by bacteria.
This form is quickly taken up into higher organisms through the food chain and is subsequently retained in their bodies before it being passes on.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that the metal reaches 'the highest levels in large predatory fish and in birds and mammals which consume fish.'
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a 1991 report, regarded dental amalgam fillings as a dietary source of mercury.
When present in dental fillings, it can leach out and be absorbed into the body system leading to possible mercury toxicity.
In fact, unlike previous assumptions, it has been shown that a significant level of mercury can be released and ingested even 'by simply chewing your food' according to one report.
Other reports suggest that the level of mercury in the brain is directly proportion to the number of tooth surface covered by amalgam fillings in the mouth.
Since it is also persistent and bioaccumulative, that is, it tends to be 'locked up' in the organisms; its effect on health can be even more hazardous.
It can also affect the unborn and lactating infants because it can cross the placenta and contaminate breast milk.
Interestingly enough, when dental amalgam is removed from the mouth, it is considered as 'toxic waste' by the US EPA and requires safe disposal.
Ironically this same 'toxic waste' material is regarded safe as a dental filling, prior to its removal.
In a book entitled Amalgam Illness, the author Andrew Hall Culter, a research chemist who claimed to have experienced mercury poisoning from his amalgam dental fillings, said the condition through believed to be rare, is actually not.
It is quite common, but often goes unrecognised or misdiagnosed because it could be confused with other illness with similar symptoms.
This being so, it explains why countries such as Sweden have completely stopped the use of dental alloys as amalgam since 1995; while Germany ceased its production the year before (1994).
Increasingly in other European countries the use of amalgam is not recommended and the use of composite or other safe alternatives are being encouraged.
With the invention of Silverfil, Malaysia too needs to re-examine the use of dental amalgam (see also http://www.selene.com/healthlink/amalgam.html) and follow the lead taken by more health conscious European nations.
In so doing, not only are Malaysians given greater health protection, but also acknowledge the ingenuity of our fellow Malaysian for the world to celebrate! Kudos Dr Radhakrishnan.
Malaysia Boleh!
Recommended websites: http://www.amalgam.org
