2006N-0352
  

  

  


  

  

  


  

  
FDA Comment Number : 
  

  
EC7
  



  

  
Submitter : 
  

  
Ms. Lauri Pruett
  

  
Date & Time: 
  

  
09/05/2006 11:09:32
  



  

  
Organization : 
  

  
Ms. Lauri Pruett
  



  

  
Category : 
  

  
Health Professional
  



  

  
Issue Areas/Comments 
  


  

  


  

  
GENERAL
  


  

  



  

  
GENERAL
  


  

  



  

  
 Joint Meeting of the Dental Products Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research September 6 & 7, 2006



Dear FDA Dental Products Panel members; 



I am a concerned dental healthcare practitioner in the state of Washington.  I have been in the dental field for 33 years, the past 27 as a dental hygienist, a dental assistant prior to that.  As an educator, clinician, consumer, past state board examiner and parent I would like to see dental mercury banned or restricted.  



We can all agree that mercury is a neurotoxin.  We can not all agree what a safe level is.  In my opinion ZERO is a safe level.  At the very minimum there should be INFORMED CONSENT in dental procedures and products given to patients, parents, students and employees whenever Mercury in dentistry is prescribed or handled.  I have witnessed that there is very limited information along with little safety procedures on dental mercury- taught, given or practiced; thus allowing dangerous mercury vapor exposures to pregnant and nursing women and young children who are the most at risk to the toxicity of mercury.   



Let us not continue to ignore the facts.  Our state Labor and Industries conducted a test for mercury vapors in 2003 (with a Jerome mercury vapor analyzer) in the dental clinic at a local college I taught at for nearly 8 years; and found mercury present at different levels during different procedures.   The manufacturers know the dangers of mercury and distribute Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) sheets for safe handling procedures with the material when it is purchased.  These MSDS guidelines are mostly ignored in dentistry allowing our most vulnerable members of society to be exposed to this neurotoxin without consent everyday in America.  We also know that mercury vapors are continually emitted from the mercury amalgam fillings even after they are placed.  Neurological symptoms are escalating out of control in our population.  I have personally conducted Jerome mercury vapor readings that are positive for mercury; in dental offices and homes of dentists.  The truth is there if 

we choose to look at it.  



Now, what can we do about it?  Continue to ignore it?  Why does mercury continue to be allowed in dentistry when it is banned in so many other products?  Please help end this madness by banning the use of mercury in dentistry.  There are far better choices of dental materials that are not neurotoxins that are used in dentistry today, with their own set of issues that should also be explained prior to placement.  The public has a right to know what is in the silver fillings, at a minimum they should not be allowed to call them silver, they should state the largest ingredient=mercury.  Working in a pediatric dental clinic for 8 years as a restorative hygienist (administering anesthetics and placing restorative filling materials on children) I witnessed first hand that the PARENTS THAT WERE INFORMED DID NOT CHOOSE MERCURY in dental restorations to be placed into the mouths of their children.  Unfortunately, most are not aware that mercury is used in dentistry.  



My peers and I (along with many others) have been unknowingly exposed and many of us have damage to ourselves and our children.  This should not be allowed to continue.  It will take several of us as individuals to sand up and do the right thing; you are now in the position to do your part,

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  


  

  








  

  
 I pray you will do so.  Those of us in higher positions will be accountable for our actions or lack of actions; if not here on earth, then to a much higher power some day.   We all make mistakes, but what matters is what we do once we know the truth. ACT WITH INTEGRITY& ban mercury in dentistry.



Respectfully,



 

Lauri M. Pruett, RDH

Seattle, WA