Abstract
This study is aimed to estimate the levels of mercury emission related to amalgam fillings at dental institutions in order to provide basic data for establishing a management protocol for extracted mercury-containing amalgam fillings. We conducted a cross-sectional study at a dental clinic of a general hospital (City of Daegu), a dental hospital (City of Daegu), and five private dental clinics (one in the South and four in the North Gyeongsang Province). The extracted anterior and posterior teeth (N = 1208) were separated, and the amalgam filling rate of the posterior teeth was assessed. After cutting out the amalgam from filled posterior teeth, the weight of the amalgam was measured, and the estimated mercury emission was calculated based on the equation, where annual number of extracted posterior teeth × amalgam filling rate (%) × mean amalgam weight (g) × 0.5 (the proportion of mercury in amalgam). We found that 48.86 kg (95% confidence interval [CI] 41.53–58.63 kg) of mercury had been incinerated along with the extracted teeth. After applying the dental institution weights, the estimated amount of mercury was 42.53 kg (95% CI 34.11–52.17 kg). The amount of mercury incinerated with extracted posterior teeth at Korean dental institutions is therefore about 42.53–48.86 kg/year.
Highlights
The amount of mercury used in dental amalgam in dental offices worldwide was around 272 t in2000 [1]; annually, about 260–300 t of mercury from dental amalgam is emitted into the environment.This emitted mercury is released into the atmosphere (50–70 t), surface water (35–45 t), ground water (20–25 t), soil (75–100 t), and as waste (40–50 t) [2]
Large amounts of emitted mercury can spread between countries and even continents; an international response to the emission and spread of mercury is essential
As most dental amalgam fillings are performed on posterior teeth, we collected the teeth extracted at these dental clinics that were claimed for insurance under the code
Summary
The amount of mercury used in dental amalgam in dental offices worldwide was around 272 t in2000 [1]; annually, about 260–300 t of mercury from dental amalgam is emitted into the environment.This emitted mercury is released into the atmosphere (50–70 t), surface water (35–45 t), ground water (20–25 t), soil (75–100 t), and as waste (40–50 t) [2]. 2000 [1]; annually, about 260–300 t of mercury from dental amalgam is emitted into the environment. 40–50 t of mercury, which accounts for only 1/6 of the total mercury used in dental amalgam, is recycled worldwide annually [2]. Large amounts of emitted mercury can spread between countries and even continents; an international response to the emission and spread of mercury is essential. The need for such an international response had been introduced during the 2009 United Nations Environment. As of September 2016, 128 countries have agreed to comply with the Minamata convention; Korea (ranking ninth globally in mercury emissions) signed off on the convention in 2014 and is preparing for its ratification in 2017 [3]
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