The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a news release on 21 July 2009 stating that dental fillings con-taining mercury are safe for patients, thus reversing an earlier caution against their use in certain patients.

"While elemental mercury has been associated with adverse health effects at high exposure levels, the levels released by dental amalgam fillings are not enough to cause harm in patients," the FDA stated, citing some review of some 200 scientific studies.

Millions of Americans have such fillings to patch cavities in their teeth. The FDA does NOT recommend pa-tients have them removed.

In 2006, Moms Against Mercury and other misguided groups sued the FDA to have amalgam fillings re-moved from the U.S. market based on scant scientific data. Instead of pursuing studies to prove their point of view, these groups jumped to conclusions not supported by science. Susan Runner, acting Director for the FDA Division on Dental Devices, said in the press release there was no casual link between amalgam fillings and health problems.

The ADA agreed with the FDA decision not to place any restriction on the use of dental amalgam.

The AMA Journal of April 2006 published two large clinical studies indicating that dental amalgam is a safe, effective, cavity-filling material for children and others. The ADA Council of Scientific Affairs did a 2009 review of all literature on the safety of amalgam and came to the same conclusion that amalgam is a valuable, viable, and safe choice for dental fillings.

But all the professional endorsements, all the scientific data that unequivocally support amalgam use are being ignored by such groups as Moms Against Mercury and Consumers for Dental Choice, stating that they have already filled a new petition with the FDA to change their stand. I guess if you do not like the experts' re-search, you can change it by law without any shred of evidence.