Florida Health Chief Advises Against Amalgam Dental Fillings, Citing Mercury Exposure Risks
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued guidance Monday advising residents to consider alternatives to dental amalgam fillings, commonly known as “silver fillings,” due to concerns over mercury exposure. The move puts Florida at odds with federal agencies like the Food adn Drug Governance (FDA) and the American Dental Association (ADA), which maintain amalgam is safe for the general population.
Ladapo’s guidance highlights the potential for mercury vapor released from amalgam fillings to be inhaled and absorbed into the lungs and othre organs. He points to studies linking mercury exposure from these fillings to DNA damage in blood cells and kidneys. Researchers estimate amalgam can account for 60% to 95% of mercury deposits found in some human tissues. A 2025 study involving 108 participants in Jordan demonstrated significantly higher blood and urine mercury levels in individuals with amalgam fillings, correlating with the number of fillings they had. (Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1991790225001709)
“Today, there are alternatives to amalgam including composites, glass ionomer, stainless steel crowns, and permanent crowns,” Ladapo stated in the official guidance. He encourages patients to discuss these options with their dental providers to determine the most suitable material for their individual needs.
However, Ladapo cautioned against removing intact amalgam fillings, emphasizing that “the greatest mercury exposure occurs during the placement or removal of amalgam fillings.”
The Florida Department of Health’s guidance (https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDOH/bulletins/3ef6997) arrives despite the FDA, ADA, and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) (https://www.iadr.org/science-policy/safety-dental-amalgam) asserting the compound’s safety for most individuals.The FDA provides information on dental amalgam fillings here: (https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/dental-devices/dental-amalgam-fillings#risks). The ADA’s resource page can be found here: (https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/amalgam).
The Longstanding Debate Over dental Amalgam
Dental amalgam has been used for over 150 years,prized for its durability,affordability,and ease of use. It’s a mixture of metals,typically around 50% mercury,with silver,tin,copper,and sometimes zinc. The mercury binds the other metals into a hard, stable material.
the controversy stems from the fact that mercury is a known neurotoxin. While the FDA and ADA argue that the amount of mercury released from amalgam fillings is too low to cause harm in most people, concerns persist, particularly for vulnerable populations.Research has linked amalgam fillings to increased mercury levels in pregnant women, possibly impacting fetal and infant brain tissue development and leading to possible neurodevelopmental delays in children.Elevated mercury levels have been observed in maternal serum, cord blood, placenta, and breast milk.
Furthermore, individuals with the CPOX4 gene variant, which is crucial for hemoglobin, myoglobin, and enzyme production, may be particularly susceptible to mercury’s neurotoxic effects. The FDA also identifies people with pre-existing neurological disease,impaired kidney function,or allergies to mercury,silver,copper,or tin as being at higher risk.
This guidance from Florida represents a growing, though still minority, viewpoint within the medical community regarding the potential risks of dental amalgam. It is likely to fuel further debate about the balance between the benefits and risks of this long-used dental material.
