Dentists Worried About Bisphenol-A in Dental Composite and Sealants
Post your comments about bisphenol-A to our blog
Given the recent negative publicity surrounding bisphenol-A (BPA), our survey
covered dental sealants and composite.
We asked: "Do you have any concerns about the safety of dental composite and sealants?" Here's how dentists responded:
- 11%: Definitely not! I'm not worried at all.
- 43%: Not really. I'm interested, but not particularly worried.
- 21%: Somewhat. I have some worries about safety.
- 25%: Definitely yes! I am very concerned about this issue.
One in four dentists is very worried. "It doesn't matter if composites and sealants are safe," wrote one respondent. "If public perception is that they are not, it is very harmful to dentistry."
Specialists in this survey reported higher levels of concern about the safety of BPA than did general dentists.
For more insight, check out these comments!!
BPA could be really dangerous
- "The enormous and unexplained increase in the incidence of breast cancer corresponds with the advent of the bisphenol-A introduction into dentistry. Some researchers have implicated these materials." (Michigan dentist)
- "I am concerned that we are using a material whose biocompatibility is really unknown." (New York dentist)
- "I am particularly concerned about using composites and sealants in children." (Texas dentist)
- "Considering that composites wash away and leak, it concerns me that the chemicals have dissolved and gotten into the patients' systems. This concern should not only be for sealants and composites, but resin cements as well." (Illinois dentist)
- "I have been concerned for years. They should always be polished to remove free material on the surface. We must always balance risk to benefit on all procedures." (General dentist)
BPA is unlikely to be dangerous
- "The cumulative release of BPA from composites appears to be minimal from the available research." (New Hampshire dentist)
- "It's probably overblown, but more info is needed." (New Jersey dentist)
- "Slow news day?" (Georgia dentist)
- "There is always so much environmental BS these days." (Connecticut dentist)
- "Everything causes potential problems, even 'natural' products. Everyone is too 'concerned' about a load of nonsense!!!!" (Nevada dentist)
- "A vegan grilled me the other day. I told him that he was at greater risk from salmonella from not washing his veggies properly!" (Colorado dentist)
Play it safe
- "Absolutely! No reason to play with public health." (Hygienist)
- "If the public is worried, so am I. I had fellow church members ask me if they needed to get all their composites removed last Sunday." (New York dentist)
- "I am not sure that this small amount we use is of concern, but then again it is your mouth for years." (Connecticut dentist)
- "Its a dangerous chemical we are placing in a sensitive area, free to leech out 24 hours a day." (Alaska dentist)
Public perception may be more important than truth
- "It doesn't matter if composites and sealant are safe. If public perception is that they are not, it is very harmful to dentistry. Now that this information is out, are dentists considered negligent and liable if they continue to place composite resin fillings and sealants?" (Utah dentist)
Varying levels of patient concern
- "No patients have questioned this issue to date." (New York dentist)
- "Patients are concerned." (Illinois pediatric dentist)
- "I'm more worried about BPA in soda and water bottles. Patients have never expressed any concern." (Arizona dentist)
- "We have had questions on sealants and adhesives." (Wisconsin orthodontist)
- "Most patients are more worried about amalgam." (Oklahoma dentist)
- "Most patients assume that if we are doing something it is okay (including x-rays for example). When a patient brings up any objections, it's usually related to paying." (New York dentist)
It's reminiscent of the mercury & amalgam controversy...
- "It's the amalgam issue all over again. What are all the 'Bondadontists' going to tell their patients now?" (Virginia dentist)
- "Okay, Mercury cause autism, or MS, or other things, so let's outlaw amalgams. But then our only alternative may contain a chemical that cause many other health concerns. Amalgam was safe for 100 years - how long has composite been scientifically proven safe? Let's not be so quick to turn our backs on traditional, tried-and-true restoratives in the future." (Arkansas dentist)
- "It's likely more of an issue than the bound mercury in amalgam. I always tell patients they don't eat chloride as it will kill, but when it's bound to sodium it makes table salt. That's like mercury with other metals in an amalgam." (Texas Endodontist)
Resin restorations are toxic
- "I'm concerned about pulp death in otherwise innocuous teeth that have been restored with composite resin. I have joked for ages that it makes you sterile, but I'm getting rather worried now..." (UK dentist)
- "Forget about bisphenol-A. Resins are far more toxic on a cellular level than amalgam. Are you familiar to amalgam studies showing how cells in a petri dish respond to amalgam? They continue to happily divide. When unset resin is placed the cells die!" (General dentist)
Poor oral health isn't safe either
- "As healthcare providers, we have to choose the lesser of two evils. I am an avid Cerec user, so the toxicity of bisphenol-A seems worse than that of Ceramic. But much better than the mercury of amalgam or letting the tooth rot..." (Canada dentist)
- "One patient about 15 years ago refused to allow her daughter to have sealants on the molars. We have subsequently placed eight occlusal amalgams.'
Any chance this could be a good thing?
- "Maybe the effect will not be negative, but positive. Is is possible this miniscule exposure will make us all kinder and gentler, resulting in a kinder, gentler nation, leading to world peace and harmony?" (Colorado dentist)
Note: Survey sample included 154 respondents.
