During our 2024 Mercury Awareness Week, I had the pleasure of hosting Charlie Brown, the founder and president of Consumers for Dental Choice. He shared with us the recent progress in the fight for mercury-free dentistry, which has been a monumental effort by his team. Prior to their initiative, only 3% of dentists were mercury-free, facing opposition from groups like the American Dental Association and the FDA.
Charlie and his team have worked tirelessly to educate dentists, consumers, and government officials, resulting in over 50% of dentists now abandoning the use of mercury fillings. Consumers for Dental Choice has evolved into the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, a global coalition dedicated to ending the use of amalgam worldwide.
Their efforts have led to a major win in Europe, where the EU will ban dental amalgam starting January 1, 2025. This victory is a significant step towards achieving their ultimate goal of banning dental amalgam worldwide by 2030.
To support their cause, I am matching every donation made to Consumers for Dental Choice until August 25, 2024, up to $150,000. This nonprofit organization has proven to be effective in their mission, both in the U.S. and globally. Let’s join them in their fight to eliminate mercury from dental practices for the health and well-being of all. “We are focusing a lot of our efforts on creating a global consensus that will be necessary by that time,” Charlie explains.
Dealing with countries that are resistant to change has been a challenge for Charlie and his team, but they were able to succeed with the help of courageous leaders who were willing to step up and change the future of dentistry in their country.
“The chief dental officer of Tanzania, Msafari Kabulwa, reached out to me many years ago and expressed her desire to end the use of amalgam. This had never been done before by any government’s chief dental officer worldwide,” Charlie shares.
Msafari and I collaborated, and after several visits, Tanzania has now ended the use of amalgam for children and pregnant women, with a planned exit date by the end of the 2020s. This was achieved through strong leadership in a low-income country. These are the kinds of initiatives that we are thrilled to be a part of,” Charlie elaborates.
In 2022, the Minamata Convention on Mercury was revised to prohibit the use of amalgam in children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Known as the Children’s Amendment, this had a significant impact on their campaign, according to Charlie. They are now urging governments to comply with this amendment.
“This is an international law that must be enforced, and this does not happen automatically. Passing a law is a positive step, but implementing it is crucial. Therefore, we are working diligently to ensure its implementation,” Charlie emphasizes.
“Europe initially started with a ban on children before extending it to all. Similarly, we have initiated a ban on children, and when we revisit the Minamata Convention in 2025, we will urge them to extend the ban to all individuals,” Charlie adds.
Significant progress has also been observed in the US and Canada following the EU’s decision to ban amalgam for children.
“When Europe banned amalgam for children, the FDA felt compelled to take action. They had not taken any steps until the European Union’s decision made them reconsider their stance on amalgam,” Charlie notes.
In 2022, two major dental products manufacturers, Dentsply Sirona and Kerr, announced that they would cease producing amalgam products containing mercury. While there are still some companies in the US using mercury in their products, having these two key companies exit the amalgam business marks a significant victory for the mercury-free movement.
However, the focus now needs to shift towards halting the import of dental amalgam, as ironically, the ADA continues to support its use despite a growing number of consumers seeking mercury-free alternatives.
“The American Dental Association has been a barrier to progress in America by advocating for mercury fillings and silver fillings, unwilling to modernize their practices,” Charlie criticizes.
Despite the challenges, Charlie remains optimistic about the progress they have made in protecting communities from the dangers of dental mercury. He commends the mercury-free dentists for their support, stating that without their contributions, the victories against dental mercury would not have been possible.
He also emphasizes the importance of conventional dentists and dental workers advocating for the removal of mercury in dental applications, as prolonged exposure to mercury poses serious health risks, particularly for female dental workers who are pregnant or planning to conceive.
A study from India in 2024 highlighted the health risks posed by mercury vapor exposure in dental clinics, underscoring the urgent need to address this issue to protect the well-being of dental workers and patients alike. Según los investigadores, “Esto puede deberse a la exposición al Hg [mercurio] durante la manipulación del Hg elemental al preparar amalgama.” Los investigadores advirtieron que la naturaleza bioacumulativa del mercurio también podría predisponer a los trabajadores dentales a una mayor carga de este metal pesado, lo que podría llevar a una variedad de resultados adversos para la salud más adelante en la vida.
“Podemos concluir a partir de nuestro estudio que la concentración de Hg en las clínicas dentales puede estar por encima de los niveles seguros prescritos, lo que representa un riesgo definitivo para la salud de los trabajadores de la salud dental. Para reducir el impacto de los vapores de Hg, se debe mantener una ventilación adecuada en las clínicas”, dijeron.
Ayuda a mantener el impulso donando a esta causa digna.
Ninguna otra organización en el mundo ha estado tan dedicada a eliminar las amalgamas dentales como los Consumidores por la Elección Dental. Es tan inspirador ver que después de campañas incansables y persistentes durante más de una década, finalmente estamos viendo un tremendo cambio tanto en los EE. UU. como en todo el mundo.
Pero la lucha está lejos de terminar; necesitan tu apoyo ahora más que nunca para mantener el impulso. Una de las mejores formas de mostrar tu apoyo es hacer una donación monetaria a su organización durante nuestra Semana de Concienciación sobre el Mercurio. Durante esta semana, voy a igualar las donaciones dólar por dólar, hasta $150,000.
Te animo a participar y unirte a mí en apoyar lo que creo que es una causa muy noble, no solo para ti y tu familia, sino también para las generaciones futuras.
El siguiente paso que puedes tomar, si aún no lo has hecho, es cambiar a un dentista libre de mercurio. Como dice Charlie, miles de dentistas han tomado la decisión de eliminar el mercurio dental de su práctica.
“Existen dentistas libres de mercurio en tu comunidad. Era difícil encontrarlos en un momento; ahora no es difícil encontrarlos. Solo animaría a todos a ser una campaña personal por la odontología libre de mercurio con tus dólares para ti y tu familia, y decir ‘Solo iremos a dentistas libres de mercurio’. Ese es un paso que puedes tomar como consumidor”, dice.
“La odontología está en un modo de cambio radical. Es muy emocionante. Queremos llegar hasta el final, que todos estén libres de mercurio, y cualquiera de nosotros puede desempeñar un papel mediante esa defensa y educación personalizada”.
Recursos para ayudarte a encontrar un dentista libre de mercurio.
Para ayudarte a localizar un dentista libre de mercurio, puedes visitar el sitio web de Consumidores por la Elección Dental en Toxicteeth.org. Su Portal Encuentra un Dentista te permite buscar un dentista libre de mercurio en tu área ingresando tu estado.
También han trabajado con otras organizaciones dentales holísticas que pueden ponerte en contacto con dentistas libres de mercurio tanto dentro como fuera de los EE. UU. A continuación, algunos recursos que pueden ayudarte a conectarte con un dentista holístico que pueda brindarte servicios confiables y profesionales, como si tienes amalgamas dentales y te gustaría que las quiten de manera segura.