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What’s Hurting Our Health Now? Water Bottles, Baby Bottles… and Dental Composite?
Perhaps you’ve heard the recent news reports of possible health problems with water bottles and other plastic products.
The chemical causing so much concern is bisphenol A, found in some (but not all) plastics. Research suggests that BPA may act like the female hormone estrogen. While hormonal effects have been seen in animal tests, no one has shown the same response in humans.
A Quick Chemistry Lesson
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However, many health experts urge caution, especially with substances that mimic the effect of hormones. Estrogen is a reproductive hormone with feminizing effects, one that has a dramatic impact on sexual development. Some wonder if BPA may be the reason why girls are hitting puberty so early these days. Others fear that a pregnant woman’s exposure to BPA can damage not just the child growing inside her, but that its effect on the fetus’s gonads could harm her grandchildren as well.
BPA exposure is hard to avoid. The chemical may leach into food from plastic containers (especially when heated). In fact, manufacturers of baby bottles now offer BPA-free bottles.
Though plastic bottles have received the most mainstream attention, dentists need to know about another possible avenue for BPA exposure: dental composites and sealants. The dental sealant bisphenol A dimethylacylate is of particular concern.
Dental composites are created from monomers. Composite resin is often based on bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA, also known as Bowen’s monomer). Though bis-GMA and some other monomers are chemical derivatives of BPA, BPA itself is not used in dental composites or sealants.
A 1996 study by Nicolas Olea of Spain’s University of Granada was the first to report detectable levels of BPA in the saliva of patients who had just been given dental sealants. The study is still a source of controversy. Further research suggests that some (but not all) dental sealants do raise a patient’s salivary level of BPA. However, blood levels of BPA do not detectably change, and saliva levels quickly return to normal.
This is the dilemma: Yes, there can be detectable levels of BPA. But are they significant?
- Some people will tell you that the EPA says it’s okay and the levels of BPA found in humans are far below the levels found to cause problems in animals.
- Others will say that the levels of BPA found in humans are well above the levels found to cause detectable hormonal changes in animals.
- Some will tell you that dental products cause negligible BPA exposure when compared to food products, water bottles, environmental pollution, and other sources.
- Others will say it’s downright irresponsible for dentists to give young children dental sealants that could damage their reproductive development.
- I will straightforwardly tell you that I have no idea if any of this is a big deal or not.
Here are some other resources…
- Definitely pro-BPA: Bisphenol-A.org
- Somewhat pro-BPA: ADA Statement on BPA
- Somewhat anti-BPA: Wikipedia – Bisphenol-A
- Definitely anti-BPA: Environmental Health News
I’d like to know what you dentists think! Do you have any concerns about BPA in dental composites and sealants? Have your patients expressed any concerns? (If they haven’t yet, expect them to soon, as the BPA issue gets more press.)
Post your thoughts on bisphenol-A
Post a comment
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 am
Since organized dentistry, in general, is so out of touch with the science indicating that fluoride can be harmful to health, either for political or financial purposes or just through ignorance,I would never trust their opinion on anything scientific that has the potential to harm their bottom line
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 am
“Since organized dentistry, in general, is so out of touch with the science indicating that fluoride can be harmful to health, either for political or financial purposes or just through ignorance,I would never trust their opinion on anything scientific that has the potential to harm their bottom line”
I really don’t follow that statement. What exactly does it mean?
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Take your pick- Mercury from amalgams(silver-mercury fillings) or estrogen-like compounds from composite resins/sealants. Do you want to grow boobs or go nutty(mad hatters disease). It is a tough decision. I’ll take the composites.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Researchers have known that these were estrogen analogs
for many years. Any one who reads the research would also know that it has been reported more than once. As a group, we need to pay closer attention. Nobody has been able to prove that they do anything in humans………..but who knows.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I have been aware for many years of the presence of bisphenol-A products in the many products that we use in the form of BIS-GMA resins. I have also been aware of BPA’s ability to act as a hormone. In addition to this, I know that there is mercury in dental amalgam. My feeling has always been the title “Dr.” requires me to keep abreast of the most current scientific literature regarding any material that I use in my patient’s mouth. So far, composites AND amalgams have no proven scientific connections to any health problems, other than true allergy to any of the components. I use nearly no amalgam for esthetic reasons, but I will use either without worry until scientific investigations convince me otherwise.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
We learned in dental school that the mercury in amalgam is bound in a gamma-2 phase. The harmful mercury is free or elemental. I have no problems sleeping at night placing amalgam fillings in posterior teeth knowing that they will not need replacing every few years, if they recurrently decay in the kids’ teeth that I will not be doing needless pulpotomies, and that if they are polished they are rather pretty (sort of). On the other hand, gold is an excellent restorative. That’s the answer: Bring Back Gold!!
April 29th, 2008 at 9:57 am
While a few tests on lab rats do not merit overturning an entire industry, I do think that it is better to be safe than sorry. Unfortunately, my thought cannot greatly influence the minds of consumers. America is always worried about the newest thing that can scare the crap out of you. Most Americans will believe what they hear from Nancy-so-and-so down the street instead of educating themselves. So, in order for companies to put their buyer’s minds at ease, they have no choice but to change and update themselves to appease consumers.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Read many years ago about this experiment in a petri dish where composite stimulated breast cancer cells. It didn’t generate them, but did stimulate those already present. No shocker that something like this is finally hitting the press.
Let’s face it, the entire medical profession is based off of a host resistance getting us through. Let’s see about dentistry.
Root canals cannot sterilize the dentinal tubules so bacteria can live and breed in them, creating toxins that harm the body.
Amalgam and mercury, nothing more needs to be said, the arguements have been around for ages.
Composite, relative newcommer, about to get seriously hammered by someone posturing for press. Over use of plastics, early puberty in girls, increased homosexuality in boys, etc.
All porcelain restorations, cemented with some type of resin.
Gold restorations, fine choice, and although minimal side effects, apparently carry too much “Bling” for almost anywhere but the last tooth in the mouth.
PFMs, Nickel based….just wait for the problems, others, finding lead would be a real downer, and exactly what type of cement is used could cause issues.
Implants, putting metal into the body, no matter what it’s affinity to bond with bone, couldn’t be good for you.
Removable partials, the acrylic is going to come under just as much fire as the composites do at some point.
Let’s face it, EVERYTHING has it’s faults so until someone actually figures out how to regrow dentin and enamel on an existing tooth, we will always have this issue. Doesn’t mean we don’t keep looking for better ways, but how about we focus on exactly how much Phoshporic Acid/High Fructose Corn syrup it actually takes to decimate a dentition and probably dissolve the bones in the person drinking it.
If we were sticking our heads into the microwave and super heating the plastic in some of our teeth, I would be more concerned. For me, all restorations have a place. (exception of course…….lead lined dentistry!)
September 9th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Brad call me your mom wont give your number out friend wants you to do her teeth 504-905-3397
September 29th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
From a true lab rat:
After having my mercury fillings removed for plastic. I became more rational, I no longer having crying fits but I have gained 20 lbs, my breasts have grown 3 sizes, I get ovarian cysts, and my cycle is irregular. I honestly don’t know which is worse
October 30th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I had no idea I will be so sick from dental bonding! I have enough in my mouth to make a horse ill. It’s been a week since I walked out of my dentist’s office with beautiful plastic teeth…but I can’t eat or sleep because my gums are killing me, my tounge is numb and my throat is burning. Also I feel like I hold a piece of metal in my mouth 24/7 and I am afraid if I damaged my cells somewhere after these awful chemicals absorbed in my bloodstream. I am going to get all of my composite fillings taken out. I don’t want to be dead with a pretty smile.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:25 am
It is as with all things accumulative. BPA is in EVERYTHING.
Waterbottles,baby products , shampoo, cosmetics, dinnerware, insecticides, weedkiller,it leaches into milk from the containers…everywhere, that is why it is BAD
I would recommend reading up on Xenoestrogens!
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:55 am
Have had 14 root canals in 22 years, and every one hurts like the dickens days, months, and years after having them “installed”-complained of gumline pain and always the dentist gave me x-ray and sez-no infection but well give you some antibiotics anyway–15 times of antibiotics did nothing but make me allergic to antibiotics! Cant eat too well or brush my teeth, wonder if trigemenal nerve is whacked out, I only weigh 87 lbs, cant even finish a meal sometimes. Also have major dental phobia about getting root canals ripped out cuz 2 in a row are fused to my very small jawbone-break my jaw willya-and I cant take narcotic pain meds-now what???