Filling materials can endanger our health

Dental fillings and the toxic effects of materials on health 

This is a surprising topic for people who are not dentists. The average person does not ask themselves this kind of question; they do not walk into the dentist's office with a list of the possible types of dental fillings available on the market. To a certain extent, they have a priori trust in the dentist's competence and does not worry about such issues. 

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that it would be advisable to have some basic knowledge about the type of dental fillings that the dentist uses, because the material used has a direct effect on their health. Usually, at this point, patients become more attentive to the information they are given. During the discussion about the type of filling used, they are usually semi-present, listening to you somewhat peripherally, vaguely, as if the information presented is not important to them. 

But as soon as I emphasize the crucial point that their health is at stake, they suddenly become attentive. And that's only natural. "I didn't know" is the most common response, "I didn't think there were such big differences between the materials used." The differences are significant, and there are even dentists who are unaware of the chemical or molecular consistency of dental materials. 

 

Dental filling material – potential toxicity 

When we talk about chemistry, inevitably, we feel like we want to be somewhere else. For this reason, we will present some basic information as briefly as possible. Most dental composites are composed of methacrylate resin monomers of various sizes and molecular weights. The materials used for regular dental fillings are composed of conventional methacrylate monomers, which are BPA, Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, GlyDMA, and HEMA. These are harmful substances that, over time, are released from the filling into our bodies. 

Just to be clear, these substances are also in white dental fillings, which look like normal teeth, that are used nowadays. What matters is how toxic the different substances are to the body when they're absorbed.

What are the routes of absorption in the body?

• directly through the oral mucosa;
• diffusion of pulp through the dentinal tubules;
• absorption of volatile components through the lungs;
• ingestion of components released into the gastrointestinal tract;

Why do these toxic substances get absorbed into our bodies? Because these types of dental fillings break down surprisingly fast—we're talking about micro-level breakdown, which is hard to notice but has serious effects on our health.

Causes of composite degradation

 

SalivaThe main component of saliva is water. This type of dental filling begins to dissolve in saliva or water, releasing harmful substances into the body. 

Chewing forcesRepeated exposure of resin composite fillings to normal chewing forces leads to progressive degradation and increased cracking, ultimately resulting in catastrophic failure of these materials. 

Thermal changesRoutine eating and drinking can induce changes in intraoral temperature. These temperature changes produce an antagonistic environment for materials because they have a different coefficient of thermal expansion compared to natural teeth. Thermal fluctuations encountered in vivo can induce surface stresses due to large thermal gradients near the surface, which in turn can lead to degradation of these materials.

Oral microbesNow here is some extremely important information: an in vitro study has shown that bacteria colonize composite resin dental fillings more quickly, leading to increased degradation of the filling surface. In practice, this type of material has been shown to promote the development of dental caries. 

 

The harmful effects of this type of composite on our health are now well established. Among the undesirable effects of methacrylates in composite resins on the health of the body, we list:

Toxic effects on the dental nerve (dental pulp) 

Toxic effects on gum cells (fibroblasts)

Mutagenic effect 

Impairment of proliferation and mineralization of odontoblasts (dental cells) 

Alteration of local collagen production 

They can cause pulp inflammation and necrosis of pulp cells (nerve cells).  

Promoting the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay 

Impairment of physiological self-repair and development processes of teeth

 

Of these, the most surprising is that this type of dental filling promotes the development of cavities, thus causing the very problem it is supposed to fix. What can be done? Educate yourself and choose non-toxic dental fillings; it is much more important than it may seem at first glance. 

If you need more information about non-toxic dental fillings or would like to make an appointment, you can visit one of our clinics or make an appointment online.