|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
The Level of Mercury in Human Dental Plaque and Interaction in vitro between Biofilms of Streptococcus mutans and Dental Amalgam
H.A. Lyttle
Departments of Restorative Dentistry
G.H. Bowden
Departments of Restorative Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E OW2
Mercury levels (ug/mg dry weight) in dental plaque from amalgam and enamel surfaces in human subjects with amalgam restorations were (range, mean, SD) 0.5-1.31, 0.72,0.34 and 0.01-0.54, 0.2, 0.19, respectively. The levels of mercury in plaque from amalgam surfaces were significantly higher than those from plaque on enamel (p < 0.001). No mercury was detected in plaque from subjects without amalgam restorations. The mean level of mercury in a 24-hour collection of plaque was 2 pg (median, 1.8 ug), an amount close to those calculated by other workers (1.2-1.7 pg) for the amount of mercury liberated in the mouth from amalgam restorations in 24 h. Freshly prepared amalgam liberated relatively large amounts of mercury into culture broth in the first 24 h of exposure; subsequently, the levels declined except in the presence of Streptococcus mutans. In vitro, biofilms of Streptococcus mutans facilitated the release of mercury from freshly prepared amalgam, in what appeared to be a cyclical fashion. Amalgam aged for two years did not release mercury, even when supporting the growth of an S. mutans biofilm. The resistance of aged amalgam was attributed to the presence of a passive tarnish layer. The mercury released by the biofilm had an effect on the composition of the biofilm. The biofilms on fresh amalgam had significantly lower levels of carbohydrate (p < 0.001- p < 0.01) and protein (p < 0.001 - p < 0.02) than did biofilms on aged amalgam and on control stainless steel wires.
REFERENCES
- Abraham JE, Svare CW, Frank CW (1984). The effects of amalgam dental restorations on blood mercury levels. J Dent Res 63:71-73.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Berglund A. (1990). Estimation by a 24-hour study of the daily dose of intra-oral mercury vapor inhaled after release from dental amalgam. J Dent Res 69:1646-1651.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Boyar RM, Bowden GH (1985). The microflora associated with the progression of incipient carious lesions in teeth of children living in a water-fluoridated area. Caries Res 19:298-301.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve]
- Brune D. (1981). Corrosion of amalgams. Scand J Dent Res 89:506-514.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve]
- Chang S.-B, Siew C., Gruninger SE (1992). Factors affecting blood mercury concentrations in practicing dentists. J Dent Res 71:66-74.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Derand T., Johansson B. (1983). Corrosion of non-
 2-amalgams. Scand J Dent Res 91:55-60.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve] - Dubois M., Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F. (1956). Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem 28:350-356.
- Edwards T., McBride BC (1975). Biosynthesis and degradation of methyl-mercury in human faeces. Nature 253:462-464.
- Espevik S., Mjor IA ( 1982). Corrosion and toxicology of dental amalgams. In: Smith DC, Williams DF, editors. Biocompatibility of dental materials. Vol. III. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press, Inc., 2-18.
- Heintze U., Edwardsson S., Derand T., Birkhed D. (1983). Methylation of mercury from dental amalgam and mercuric chloride by oral streptococci in vitro. Scand J Dent Res 91:150-152.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve]
- Mackert JR Jr (1987). Factors affecting estimation of dental amalgam mercury exposure from measurements of mercury vapor levels in intra-oral and expired air. J Dent Res 66:1775-1780.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Marek M. (1984). Acceleration of corrosion of dental amalgam by abrasion. J Dent Res 63:1010-1013.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Moberg L.-E (1988). Corrosion of dental amalgam and mercury vapour emission in vitro. Scand J Dent Res 96:473-477.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve]
- Palaghias G. (1986). Corrosion of dental amalgams in solutions of organic acids. Scand J Dent Res 94:267-273.[Medline]
[Order article via Infotrieve]
- Ramlal PS, Rudd Jwm, Furutani A., Xun L. (1985). The effect of pH on methyl mercury production and decomposition in lake sediments. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 42:685-692.[CrossRef]
- Robinson JB, Tuovinen OH (1984). Mechanisms of microbial resistance and detoxification of mercury and organomercury compounds: physiological, biochemical and genetic analyses. Microbiol Rev 48:95-124.[Free Full Text]
- Snapp KR, Boyer DB, Peterson LC, Svare CW (1989). The contribution of dental amalgam to mercury in blood. J Dent Res 68:780-785.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Svare CW, Frank CW, Chan KC ( 1973). Quantitative measure of mercury vapor emission from setting dental amalgam. J Dent Res 52:740-743.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Svare CW, Peterson LC, Reinhardt JW, Boyer DB, Frank CW, Gay DD, Cox RD (1981). The effect of dental amalgams on the mercury levels in expired air. J Dent Res 60:1668-1671.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Vimy MJ, Lorscheider FL (1985). Serial measurements of intra-oral air mercury: estimation of daily dose from dental amalgam. J Dent Res 64:1072-1075.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Who (1991). Evaluation of human health risks. In: Environmental Health Criteria 118 Inorganic Mercury. United Nations Environmental Programme. Geneva: The International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation, 108-114.
Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 72, No. 9,
1320-1324 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/00220345930720091101
 CiteULike  Complore  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
R. Pike, V. Lucas, P. Stapleton, M. S. Gilthorpe, G. Roberts, R. Rowbury, H. Richards, P. Mullany, and M. Wilson
Prevalence and antibiotic resistance profile of mercury-resistant oral bacteria from children with and without mercury amalgam fillings
J. Antimicrob. Chemother.,
May 1, 2002;
49(5):
777 - 783.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. P. Barnard and M. W. Stinson
Influence of Environmental Conditions on Hydrogen Peroxide Formation by Streptococcus gordonii
Infect. Immun.,
December 1, 1999;
67(12):
6558 - 6564.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C.-Y.S. Hsu, K.J. Donly, D.R. Drake, and J.S. Wefel
Effects of Aged Fluoride-containing Restorative Materials on Recurrent Root Caries
Journal of Dental Research,
February 1, 1998;
77(2):
418 - 425.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M.C. Roberts
Antibiotic Resistance in Oral/Respiratory Bacteria
Critical Reviews in Oral Biology & Medicine,
January 1, 1998;
9(4):
522 - 540.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
G.H. Bowden
The Role of Microbiology in Models of Dental Caries: Reaction Paper
Advances in Dental Research,
November 1, 1995;
9(3):
255 - 269.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
