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BIOLOGICAL DETOXIFICATION AND MERCURY DENTAL AMALGAM

¹ Italian Association for Metals and Biocompatibility Research, (AIRMEB), Via F. Sforza, 15, 20122 Milan, Italy, gianpaolo_guzzi{at}fastwebnet.it
² Laboratory of Environmental, and Toxicology Testing "S. Maugeri"-IRCCS, Pavia, Italy

To the Editor:

In their randomized controlled trial, Melchart et al. (2008) addressed the important issue of how to treat health conditions associated with amalgam.

We wish to raise two points. In the group termed "removal-plus group", a "biological detoxification" therapy was used to treat patients’ symptoms consistent with exposure to amalgam. Melchart and co-workers seem unaware that selenium selenite—which was chosen in their trial—while an essential element, is also a toxic compound (Guzzi and La Porta, 2008). We were surprised that the authors chose to supplement the "removal-plus group" with inorganic sodium selenite, usually used in experimental studies (Tandon et al., 1986).

Because of the "biological detoxification", we would expect to see organic selenium (selenomethionine, selenocysteine, and selenium-yeast) instead of sodium selenite in the supplemented group. Selenium supplementation decreases the excretion of mercury, and the formation of mercury selenide (Hg-Se) may become a secondary source of mercury, worsening the retention toxicity owing to mercury (Tandon et al., 1986; Agarwal and Behari, 2007). Furthermore, selenium may increase brain levels of methyl mercury (Tandon et al., 1986), which is present in the saliva in individuals with amalgam.

Selenium is very far from being safe for persons exposed to mercury.

In addition, neither intravenous vitamin C (in a clinical study) (Dirks et al., 1994) nor ascorbate (in an animal model) (Guzzi and La Porta, 2008) has been shown to be beneficial in removing mercury from human tissues. We believe that there is no evidence that biological detoxification may have benefit in persons with symptoms associated with exposure to amalgam.

The management of mercury body burden due to amalgam remains complete removal of dental amalgam fillings.

References

• Agarwal R, Behari JR (2007). Role of selenium in mercury intoxication in mice. Ind Health 45:388–395.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Dirks MJ, Davis DR, Cheraskin E, Jackson JA (1994). Mercury excretion and intravenous ascorbic acid. Arch Environ Health 49:49–52.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Guzzi G, La Porta CA (2008). Molecular mechanisms triggered by mercury. Toxicology 244:1–12.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Melchart D, Vogt S, Kohler W, Streng A, Weidenhammer W, Kremers L, et al. (2008). Treatment of health complaints attributed to amalgam. J Dent Res 87:349–353.
• Tandon SK, Magos L, Webb M (1986). The stimulation and inhibition of the exhalation of volatile selenium. Biochem Pharmacol 35:2763–2766.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 87, No. 9, 800 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/154405910808700912


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This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Guzzi, G. Articles by Minoia, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Guzzi, G. Articles by Minoia, C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?