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Toxicity of White Dental Materials

 

The following white dental materials all contain fluoride and should be avoided:

 

  • All glass-ionomers contain fluoride.

  • Compomers are mixtures of composites and glass-ionomers.

  • Giomers feature the hybridization of glass-ionomer and composite resins.

  • Most sealants contain glass ionomers. Sealants are applied to seal pits and fissures in teeth in order to prevent the occurrence of caries.

  • Most resin fillings, liners, cement and other resin bonding agents contain fluoride.

  • The bonding agents (glue) used to fix porcelain and other crowns to teeth most often contains fluoride.

 

Resin Composites

Although some dental manufacturers strive to produce resins that do not leach toxic materials, the concern for the intrinsic toxicity of composites remains high and many people still believe that amalgam fillings are safer. Research has shown that most resin composites may be toxic based on the fact that they release fluoride (in most cases), monomers (plastic components), metals and preservatives.

 

Monomers

Resin basically is tooth colored plastic.  Most plastic components are known endocrine disrupters and potentially toxic.  

  • The matrix of resin usually consists of a group of different diacrylate monomers and oligomers, such as bisphenol A-glycidylmethacrylate (Bis-GMA (known to cause cancer)), ethoxylated bisphenol A-methacrylate (Bis-EMA), triethyleneglycoldimethacrylate (TEGDMA), urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) and many others.  

  • The filler materials of resin may consist of materials such as silica glass (SiO2), alumina glass (Al2O3), and sodium fluoride (some manufacturers remove the fluoride). Silica glass contains aluminum silicates (e.g. barium, strontium or lithium aluminum silicate glass). The radiopacity of composites is obtained by the addition of barium, strontium, lithium or ytterbium fluoride (YF3) to the filler particles.

 

Composite resin restorations have been shown to leach between 14 and 22 separate potentially hazardous monomer compounds. The initial release of free monomers may occur during the monomer –polymer conversion (in the dentist's chair).  In the long term components are released by erosion and degradation over time. In vitro and in vivo research studies have clearly identified that these components of restorative composite resins are toxic.

 

Metals.

Composite resins release ions such as fluoride, strontium, and aluminum. Other cytotoxic ions are used to establish the exact color of the restorative material. Some documents claim that the concentrations of fluoride (F-) and Strontium (Sr2+) ions are too low to be cytotoxic, but in practice many people have shown signs of fluoride toxicity after receiving white fillings containing fluoride. 

 

Preservatives such as Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT).

BHT is on the FDA's GRAS (Generally regarded as safe) list, but research has repeatedly shown its toxicity. It is associated with thyroid issues, lung cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, promotes tumor formation,  liver damage,  liver toxicity, hepatic fibrosis and bile duct hyperplasia, increased liver weight, poor blood circulation, hyper coagulation, neurotoxicity and early mortality, cytotoxicity and programmed cell death.

 

 

Sources:

http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/dental-amalgam/l-3/5-health-effects-alternative-materials.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_restoration

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3532765/

http://www.dentalwatch.org/hg/myths210.htm

http://www.sonic.net/kryptox/medicine/pfpc/ionomer.htm

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/toxic-ingredient/butylated-hydroxytoluene-bht?page=1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3757972

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3358012

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3075459/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22420549

 

 

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