Mercury is toxic in some quantities and forms. You can ingest too much mercury from your food or liquid mercury. Mercury poisoning most impacts women trying to become pregnant, pregnant women and their fetuses, and young children. Thermometers, dental fillings, fluorescent lighting, and industrial materials all contain elemental mercury. Typically, organic mercury at high enough levels to damage humans only exists in certain types of fish and shellfish.
Mercury acts as a poison and can damage our kidneys and nervous system. The phrase “mad as a hatter” comes from mercury poisoning in old-timey hatters that used mercury in hatbands.
Mercury in Dental Fillings
Firstly, dental fillings are common. Your dentist may give you an option for what filling you’d like to pay for: gold, porcelain, composite, or “silver” amalgam fillings. Amalgam fillings are cheaper, but what is “silver” amalgam?
Dental amalgam contains a mixture of metals, including liquid mercury and powdered silver, tin, and copper. Approximately 50% of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight.” Silver amalgam fillings are long-lasting and are the least expensive type of filling material. However, they release low levels of mercury vapor during chewing or ingesting hot material. The inhaled vapor is associated with adverse effects in the brain and the kidneys.
In a study in the American Journal of Physiology of five pregnant ewes with twelve amalgam fillings placed at 112 days gestation, results showed that mercury was displayed in all tissues. As a result, mercury was found in the adults’ tissues and fetuses, newborns, and in breast milk.
Thus, fertile women, pregnant women, and children under six should not get amalgam fillings.
Do not remove any “silver” fillings while pregnant due to the risk of exposure to mercury vapor during the removal process. Opt for composite resin, porcelain, or gold fillings if possible to avoid mercury exposure.
Mercury in Fish
As dangerous as mercury in our dental fillings can be, the leading cause of mercury exposure in the United States is fish consumption. Mercury does not have an odor or a taste in fish, so you must limit your exposure to certain species. Because mercury works its way up the food chain, the species you need to worry about are typically larger fish, like sharks and tuna. Cleaning the fish a certain way or cooking them does not impact the mercury level. Click over to the FDA’s website on mercury levels in fish to learn more.
Fish High in Mercury
- King mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tilefish
- Ahi tuna
- Bigeye tuna
In conclusion, a blood test is used to determine mercury levels. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. For questions or comments, please respond to this page or contact us!
