Comment from anita tibau
AnonymousSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter, Anita Vazquez Tibau, submits a petition supporting the Florida Department of Health's guidance against using dental amalgam for routine fillings. The argument highlights the risks of mercury exposure, including DNA damage and neurodevelopmental risks for infants, while advocating for the use of safer alternatives like composites and crowns.
On August 25, 2025 - State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo Issues Guidance for Amalgam Restoration Use
Tallahassee, Fla. — State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo recommends against the use of dental amalgam for routine fillings due to the risk of mercury exposure.
Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper. Approximately half (50%) of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight. Dental amalgam is estimated to be responsible for 60-95% of mercury deposits in some human tissues. Researchers have found mercury levels in blood and urine are significantly higher in persons with amalgam than those without, and the levels correlate with the number of amalgam fillings.
Amalgam releases low levels of mercury in the form of a vapor, which can be inhaled and absorbed by the lungs and other organs, and has been found to cause DNA damage in human blood cells and potential impairment with renal function.