Dental Silver- Mercury Amalgam fillings banned in parts of Europe

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Silver Mercury Amalgam dental fillings have been banned from use in several European countries in recent years.

Norway announced a ban on the use of mercury, including dental amalgam in 2008. Sweden and Denmark announced a similar ban and dentists in these countries would no longer be allowed to use mercury in dental fillings.  In additional, dental insurance companies will no longer reimburse for amalgam fillings in these countries.

"These bans clearly indicate that amalgam is no longer needed. There are viable non-mercury filling substitutes that are used everyday in the

US," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. "By eliminating amalgam use, which is 50% mercury, we can reduce mercury pollution much more efficiently than end-of-the-pipeline solutions."

In a prepared statement, Norwegian Minister of the Environment Erik Solheim said that the reason for the ban is the risk that mercury from products may constitute in the environment. "Mercury is among the most dangerous environmental toxins. Satisfactory alternatives to mercury in products are available, and it is therefore fitting to introduce a ban," said Solheim.

The Swedish amalgam ban is for both environmental and health issues, according to authorities. Danish officials indicate that the reason for banning amalgam is also because composites have become better, and may now be used in many more situations than a few years ago.

"Composite fillings have now become so strong that the Danish National Board of Health says that we can expand the ban to also include amalgam fillings," said the (Danish) Minister of Health Jakob Axel Nielsen to "TV Avisen".

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