Dental amalgams have been the subject of numerous studies and criticisms in recent years. It is no coincidence that in the dental field they have been almost completely eliminated and replaced with more biocompatible fillings. However, there are many people who have not yet removed those inserted in previous years and, consequently, have not yet replaced them with new generation ones. For all of these individuals, having an MRI scan could put their health at serious risk. Here because. The danger of magnetic resonances
When we undergo a CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging we know very well that we run into various dangers to our health. In particular, magnetic resonance imaging, while not exposing us to the fearful ionizing radiation – related to a greater risk of cancer – emits a high-frequency magnetic field. On the other hand, it seems that the greatest danger does not consist in this, rather in the possible presence of dental amalgam. And this is especially true for new generation machinery. Risk of poisoning
What you really risk is mercury poisoning. All this happens because the magnetic resonance can allow the mercury to escape from the filling. This is suggested by a new study published in the scientific journal Radiology, which highlighted how the use of magnetic resonance imaging has circulated high levels of this poisonous metal. Blame the magnetic fields
The danger of the magnetic fields generated by this diagnostic method is a huge diatribe. There are those who say that the damage is slight, while those who warn against rather frequent use. Instead, what seems to emerge from the new research is that magnetic fields can negatively interact with our dental fillings. We recall, in fact, that the latter are formed by a mixture of metals, of which 50% is mercury. In reality, thanks to the treatment that is performed during the insertion of the amalgam, the possible loss of mercury that occurs over the years is very minimal. But if you do an MRI, things change enormously. More powerful magnetic resonance
The main problem is represented by the fact that the magnetic resonances that now most hospitals have available, are much more powerful than the previous ones. Therefore the risks that are run – from different points of view – are also much higher. The fact that machines of this kind are used and that allow to obtain more complex images, especially as regards the head, brain and tumors. To understand what the difference is, we can say that the old resonances had a power that varied from 1.5 to 3 Tesla, while now they are about 7 Tesla, therefore more than double. The test
In 2018, the team coordinated by Dr. Selmi Yilmaz of Akedniz University (Turkey) created a small cavity in some teeth and filled them with amalgam. The teeth were then subjected to artificial saliva and were subsequently exposed to 3 minutes of resonance from 1.5 Tesla, 3 Tesla, 7T or no magnetic field. The results showed that the mercury content in saliva after exposure to magnetic fields was four times higher than at lower powers. “Although it is not clear how much of this form released by mercury is actually absorbed by the body, the results of the study indicate that amalgam fillings can pose a risk not only to patients, but also to staff,” explains Yilmaz.
