After reading about possible mercury exposure due to environmental factors I thought it would be wise for me to test the mercury level in my body. I purchased a kit from the Sierra Club website and sent in (a fairly sizable) hair sample a couple of weeks ago. I just received my test results today. My mercury levels where 0.74 ug/g, which is below the recommended upper level of 1 ug/g set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Academy of Sciences.
I have a moderate intake of ocean fish, which can be a source of mercuy. Dentally, I do not have any amalgam fillings in my mouth and replace, on average, 3-4 metal amalgam fillings a week. This is almost exclusively done using a rubber dam to minimize exposure to our patients. Using hair as a sample apparently shows the average mercury exposure of an individual over the last 3-4 months.
So, what does this mean? I am not sure. I feel pretty good knowing that as a dentist who removes amalgams, I do not have high levels of exposure. I also know that there are environmental exposures to mercury, including coal fire power plants and fish. How much is environmental and am I exposed to mercury vapors in the office? It is tough to tell, but it appears to be minimal at most.
Disclaimer- I cannot verify the methods or laboratory used to test my hair sample. The ADA currently has the position that dental amalgam is safe to use as a restorative material. I choose not to use it for other reasons such as esthetics and the bonding ability of composite and resin cements.
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