1. Is Mercury Poisonous? The Patient Asks "But isn't mercury poisonous?" The ADA Answers "Not when used in dental amalgam. Alone, in the form scientists call elemental mercury and the public sometimes calls quicksilver, mercury is toxic at high concentrations. However, when mercury is combined with other metals, such as the silver, tin, and copper, it reacts with them to form a biologically inactive substance." IAOMT Response The ADA answer is false and misleading. It fails to mention that set dental amalgam continuously releases mercury. "It is a fallacy that mercury is neutralized when it is combined with other components of silver dental amalgam. The laws of physical chemistry are followed. Mercury is diluted by the other components of amalgam in what may be considered a solid solution. Although the vapor pressure of mercury is reduced, mercury vapor is still released. An identical situation arises when alcohol is diluted by water.3 Research has shown that mercury even in extremely small amounts has toxic effects, for example, low dose mercury exposure has been shown to produce neurological pathology, cytotoxicity to nerve tissue." 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 We find it particularly disturbing that the ADA has made such a blanket statement without any scientific support.