Countries agree to end mercury fillings by 2034
Forthcoming Glasgow event will discuss alternatives to amalgam.
More than 150 countries, including the United Kingdom, have agreed to phase out the use of mercury-based amalgam in fillings by 2034.
At a conference in Geneva today, signatories to a treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from mercury pollution agreed “to end the use of dental amalgam by 2034, marking a historic milestone in reducing mercury pollution”.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and mercury compounds.
“This science-based, time-bound agreement marks a decisive step toward the total elimination of mercury use in dentistry and a safer future for all communities,” the signatories said in a statement.
Some countries have already banned its use in dental amalgam, a common filling material used for more than 175 years. But it remains the most common material for NHS permanent fillings across the UK.
Its use does come with regulations; it must only be used in pre-dosed encapsulated form; it must not be used for the dental treatment of deciduous teeth of children under 15 years, or for pregnant or breastfeeding women; and all dental practices must be equipped with an amalgam separator.
On Wednesday 19 November, the West of Scotland branch of the British Dental Association (BDA) will host an in-person event, ‘After amalgam, the battle of the bulk fills’. The evening lecture at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow will focus on:
- The context of dental amalgam’s use and the reduction of its use
- Discussing the alternatives to amalgam, where and when each type can be used, eg: resin composite bulk fill materials, and self-adhesive bulk fill composites
- Learning about Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC) and its variants.
For those unable to attend, the BDA has signposted these resources:
Minamata Convention decision on phasing out amalgam
Using dental amalgam in the UK