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Mercury release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile phone use

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Mortazavi SM, Daiee E, Yazdi A, Khiabani K, Kavousi A, Vazirinejad R, Behnejad B, Ghasemi M, Mood MB. · 2008

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EMF exposure from MRI and mobile phones significantly increases mercury release from dental fillings, potentially amplifying toxic exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether electromagnetic fields from MRI machines and mobile phones increase mercury release from dental fillings. They found that 30-minute MRI exposure increased mercury levels in saliva by 31%, and mobile phone use significantly increased mercury in urine compared to controls. This suggests that common EMF exposures may accelerate the release of toxic mercury from dental amalgam fillings.

Why This Matters

This study reveals an overlooked pathway through which EMF exposure may affect health: by increasing the release of mercury from dental amalgam fillings. The science demonstrates that both MRI magnetic fields (0.23 Tesla) and mobile phone radiation can significantly accelerate mercury release, with saliva mercury levels jumping from 8.6 to 11.3 micrograms per liter after just 30 minutes of MRI exposure. What this means for you is that if you have amalgam fillings, routine EMF exposures may be increasing your mercury burden. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin linked to cognitive impairment, mood disorders, and neurological damage. While this was a small study requiring replication, it suggests that people with amalgam fillings face an additional risk from EMF exposure that hasn't been adequately studied or communicated by health authorities. The reality is that millions of people have both amalgam fillings and regular EMF exposure from phones and medical imaging, yet this interaction has received virtually no attention in safety guidelines.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
230 mG

Exposure Context

This study used 230 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 230 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 9x higher than this level

Study Details

To analyze the mercury release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile phone use

In the 1st phase of this study, thirty patients were investigated. Five milliliter stimulated saliva...

The mean +/- SD saliva Hg concentrations of the patients before and after MRI were 8.6 +/- 3.0 and 1...

Further research is needed to clarify whether other common sources of electromagnetic field exposure may cause alterations in dental amalgam and accelerate the release of mercury.

Cite This Study
Mortazavi SM, Daiee E, Yazdi A, Khiabani K, Kavousi A, Vazirinejad R, Behnejad B, Ghasemi M, Mood MB. (2008). Mercury release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile phone use Pak J Biol Sci. 11(8):1142-1146, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{sm_2008_mercury_release_from_dental_1208,
  author = {Mortazavi SM and Daiee E and Yazdi A and Khiabani K and Kavousi A and Vazirinejad R and Behnejad B and Ghasemi M and Mood MB. },
  title = {Mercury release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile phone use},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18819554/},
}
PubMed: 18819554

Cited By (123 papers)

View all 123 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, research shows MRI exposure can increase mercury release from dental amalgam fillings. A 2008 study found that 30-minute MRI scans increased mercury levels in saliva by 31%, suggesting the electromagnetic fields may accelerate toxic mercury release from dental work.
Research indicates cell phone radiation may increase mercury release from dental amalgam fillings. A study found mobile phone users had significantly higher mercury levels in urine compared to non-users, with levels nearly doubling after four days of exposure.
EMF exposure may increase the danger of mercury-containing dental fillings. Research demonstrates that electromagnetic fields from MRI machines and mobile phones can significantly accelerate mercury release from amalgam restorations, potentially increasing toxic exposure in your body.
Electromagnetic fields may contribute to mercury exposure from dental fillings. Studies show EMF sources like MRI scans and mobile phones significantly increase mercury release from amalgam restorations, though more research is needed to determine long-term health implications.
Mobile phone use appears to increase mercury levels in people with dental fillings. Research found phone users had mercury concentrations in urine that were 63% higher than non-users after four days, suggesting electromagnetic radiation accelerates mercury release.