Many parents have expressed concern about the chemical Bisphenol A, which is found in baby bottles. But few people are aware of the fact that it is also found in dental fillings and sealants, says Dr. Morey Furman, who runs The Dental Office of Dr. Morey Furman in Garden City, New York. However, he says that the level of exposure you get in dentistry is so low that it should not be an issue, and that sealants and fillings containing Bisphenol A are safe.
Bisphenol A is a plastic and a major component of tooth fillings, of white tooth fillings and dental sealants and what we use when we do bonding. It has lots of uses outside of dentistry as well as it is an industrial chemical. Bisphenol A is used to make plastic and things like that, and is often found in baby bottles and other items.
Tooth-colored fillings are more and more often now used instead of amalgam silver fillings. The tooth-colored fillings are basically a plastic material, made from Bisphenol A and a quartz filler, which is glass, to make them strong.
A study found that levels of Bisphenol A were found in the saliva of patients who had dental sealants that contained this chemical, and as a result, concerns were raised that children could be exposed to it. But later studies said that while it was found in saliva in small quantities, none of it had made its way into the bloodstream.
It has been concluded that the level of exposure that we use in dentistry poses no health risks. It has been widely reported that Bisphenol A can leak out of certain dental sealants, but only for a short period of time right after application. In any case, the amount that could potentially leak out is completely safe, and poses no health hazards whatsoever.
The level of exposure that you might get from a dental sealant, in fact, has been found to be 50,000 times lower than the level shown to cause “acute oral toxicity” in animals in previous studies. So people can rest assured that getting a dental sealant containing Bisphenol A is completely safe.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
