The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared that silver dental fillings contain too little mercury to personally injure the millions who’ve had cavities filled with them — including young children — and that only people allergic to mercury would need to avoid them.

Our firm’s experienced San Diego personal injury lawyers are happy about these new findings, but we still wonder if injury from the mercury-filled cavities will arise in years to come.  Furthermore, we are wary that the FDA previously stated that young children are more prone to suffer injury — as they are still developing and the mercury vapor that is released could cause them brain injuries — but are now declaring that it is safe.

Either way, we hope that FDA’s current position on the mercury fillings is a correct one.  It is, after all, the most current scientific information.

Just last year, the FDA settled a lawsuit with anti-mercury activists by posting a precaution on its Web site.  It said that questions remained about whether the small amount of mercury vapor in the fillings were enough to harm developing brains and cause children’s injuries.

But the FDA said its final scientific review ended that concern.  Still, the agency did slightly strengthen how it regulates the fillings, urging dentists to provide their patients with a government-written statement detailing the mercury controversy and what science shows.

“The best available scientific evidence supports the conclusion that patients with dental amalgam fillings are not at risk for mercury-associated adverse health effects,” said the FDA’s dental products director.

Too much mercury can still lead to brain injuries.  It has made headlines in recent years as scientists have warned that certain types of seafood contain enough mercury to cause harm to the brain of a fetus or infant child.  The FDA found that while there have been only a handful of studies that compared young children given either amalgam fillings or mercury-free tooth-colored resin composite ones, and those studies have not yet detected any brain injuries.

Our personal injury attorneys in San Diego believe that more tests should be studied in order to determine if mercury filled cavities actually pose a personal injury threat to people of all ages.  If not enough studies have been conducted to determine whether or no brain injuries in children will arise as a result of mercury-filled cavities, then how can the FDA completely declare that it is safe?

As always, you should proceed with caution when it comes to mercury and research any medical treatment you or your family might be undergoing to make sure it does not contain the dangerous substance.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced San Diego personal injury attorney after you get into a car accident and find out how we can help you.   We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case.  No fee if no recovery.