Dentists, environmentalists call for phasing out mercury amalgam by 2022

Dentists and environmentalists have called for phasing-out mercury amalgam in Bangladesh by 2022 and banning import due to its adverse impacts on health and the environment.

They made the call as the majority of dentists and patients have already moved from using mercury-containing amalgam to using alternatives. 

Speakers said these on Wednesday at a high-level policy dialogue organised by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) in association with Bangladesh Dental Society (BDS) and Department of Environment (DoE).

The event was organised to share the findings of the study report titled ‘Country Situation Report on Phasing out Mercury Amalgam from Dentistry of Bangladesh by 2022’.

Mercury has been used in fillings since the 19th century and has faced controversy ever since.

According to ESDO, shortly after the invention of amalgam in 1819, numerous harmful effects were widely reported.

The study found that out of 9,086 dentists surveyed, some 8,695 or 95.70 per cent are not using mercury dental amalgam in their treatment as they found it is unsafe and has alternatives.

Some 87.1 per cent of patients are concerned about the colour and harmful effects of the mercury amalgam.

“Since June 2018, BDS has stopped using dental amalgam on children and pregnant mothers and we are now working with ESDO to phase out mercury use from dentistry,” said Professor Dr Humayun Kabir Bulbul, secretary general of BDS. 

“So, on behalf of the Bangladesh Dental Society and ESDO, I would like to urge the government and the authorities to prohibit the import, sale, and use of dental amalgam in Bangladesh, as well as ratify the Minamata Convention as soon as possible,” he said.

Session chair and chairperson of ESDO Syed Marghub Murshed echoed his observation, saying Bangladesh is on the verge of making mercury-free dentistry a reality.

“All that is required is a specific rule,” he said.

Keya Khan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, also emphasised taking action in this regard.

“Bangladesh is on the threshold of becoming the first Muslim-majority nation to have mercury-free dentistry,” said Attorney Charles G. Brown, president of World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

“Alternatives are widely available in our country and as a matter of fact from the study findings of ESDO and BDS, we can see dentists are using these alternatives,” said Habibun Nahar, deputy minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

These alternatives need to be accessible and affordable to everyone so we can phase out this hazardous toxic chemical from our country, she continued as the chief guest at the event.

[email protected]