Powerpoint exposure to electromagnetic fields as a hazard for people with dental amalgam restorations - march 29 2015

Exposure to Electromagnetic
Fields as a Hazard for People with
Dental Amalgam Restorations
Ghazal Mortazavi, DDs
Dentist
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
mmortazavi@sums.ac.ir
1
Ghazal Mortazavi (DDs) and SMJ Mortazavi (Ph.D)
SMJ Mortazavi, Ph.D
Professor of Medical Physics &
INIRPRC Director
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
mmortazavi@sums.ac.ir

• Electricity is an
essential part of
modern life.
• It is estimated that
by the middle of this
century, the global
use of electricity will
be multiplied by a
factor of 2.5 to 3.0.
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• Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are
produced by the motion of
electrons.
• All electrical or electronic devices
such as wireless technologies (e.g.
Wi-Fi, mobile phones and
cordless phones), laptop
computers, microwave ovens and
power lines produce
electromagnetic fields.
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EMF Ocean!
We live in an ocean of
electromagnetic fields!
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Ghazal Mortazavi (DDs)
and SMJ Mortazavi (Ph.D)
7
A very basic question that should be
answered:
Why is Exposure to Different
Sources of EMFs so Important?

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Very Frequent Use by the Whole Population
Wide Geographical Distribution of Users
 In Africa, No land-line but mobile phones are used
Poor Knowledge about the Effects
Inescapable Exposures
Very Wide Sources
 Baby Watch, Wireless Technologies
Hidden Sources
 Wi-Fi Signals coming from our neighbours
Continuous 24 h/d, 7 days/wk exposures
Old Standards
Challenging Serious Biological Effects
The issue of exposure to Children

Current Controversies
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• However, the effect of RF-EMF on
biological systems is still controversial.
• Over the past years, our laboratory has
focused on studying the health effects
of exposure to some common and/or
occupational sources of
electromagnetic fields (EMFs) such as
mobile phones [1-8] and their base
stations [9], mobile phone jammers
[10], laptop computers [11], radars [2],
dentistry cavitrons [12] and MRI [13,
14].

Amalgam Mercury Issue
• It was previously believed
that dental amalgam,
which contains about fifty
precents mercury, is inert
and cannot release
mercury after restoration.
• However, in 2009, the US
FDA acknowledged that
dental amalgam releases
low levels of elemental
mercury vapor.
10

Dental Amalgam Safety Concern
• Since 150 years ago,
amalgam has been used
in dentistry as an
excellent and versatile
dental restorative
material due to its
properties such as low
cost, ease of
application, strength,
durability, and
bacteriostatic effects 15
.
• However, nowadays, the
popularity of amalgam is
decreasing due to rapidly
growing concerns about
its detrimental health
effects, environmental
pollution, and aesthetics 16
.
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Now there is a growing public concern!
12

Historical Changes of Mercury%
• After some historical
changes in the mercury-
to-amalgam ratio,
modern amalgams are
now produced from
precapsulated alloy
consisting of 42-45%
mercury by weight 17
.
13

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• Recent findings indicate that
mercury, even at low doses, may
cause toxicity
• As dental amalgam fillings
release low levels of elemental
mercury vapor, today, there is a
debate over :
▫ If these levels are safe and
▫ Whether the safety threshold
is the same for different
subpopulations.
Are low levels of mercury safe?

15
• Concerns regarding the rapidly
growing exposure to EMF sources and
increased mercury release from dental
amalgam after exposure to
electromagnetic fields, especially in
children, people who are routinely
exposed to electromagnetic fields and
hypersensitive subpopulations,
prompted us to perform more studies.
The rationale for our previous
studies

16
• Our first report on the
role of exposure to
magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) or
microwave radiation
emitted by mobile
phones in enhancing the
release of mercury from
dental amalgam
restoration was
published in 2008 [7].
MRI and the Release of Mercury

MRI & Release of Mercury
17

Mobile Phone Use and the Release of
Mercury
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Rationale for Our Recent Study
SMJ Mortazavi
• Nowadays, MRI systems
utilize:
▫ Stronger static magnetic fields
▫ Faster and stronger gradient
magnetic fields
▫ More powerful radiofrequency
(RF) transmission coils

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• To overcome the limitations of our
previous study, we have recently
studied the effects of stronger
magnetic fields (1.5 T in our
recent study vs. 0.25 T in our
previous report) and provided
further support for the adverse
effect of MRI in increasing the
release of mercury from dental
amalgam fillings [15].
Methods in our recent study

Results
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22

23

24
• We have also
shown that a few
published papers
which reported no
increased release
of mercury after
MRI, may have
severe
methodological
flaws [16].
No Effect Reports in the Literature

25

26

27

28

29
• Recent findings
show that even at
low doses, mercury
may cause toxicity.
Conclusion:

30
• Therefore, as:
▫ Children are generally more sensitive to
toxic agents
▫ Some people tend to be more sensitive to
the effects of exposure to any chemical
substance in their environment
▫ Some people are routinely exposed to
different sources of electromagnetic fields
a paradigm shift may be needed in evaluating
the adverse health effects of amalgam fillings.

31
Based on these facts:
• The amount of mercury released from dental
amalgam after exposure to different sources of
electromagnetic fields may be sufficient for
causing a toxic effect in children, people who are
routinely exposed to electromagnetic fields and
hypersensitive subpopulations.
Concluding remarks:

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• Therefore, expert
groups at national and
international
organizations should
actively review the
safety of exposure to
electromagnetic fields
in individuals with
amalgam restorations.
Concluding remarks:

34

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REFERENCES
• [1] S. M. J. Mortazavi, M. Motamedifar, G. Namdari, M. Taheri, A. R. Mortazavi, and N.
Shokrpour, "Non-Linear Adaptive Phenomena which Decrease the Risk of infection after Pre-
Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation," Dose-Response, in press.
• [2] S. M. J. Mortazavi, S. Taeb, and N. Dehghan, "Alterations of Visual Reaction Time and Short
Term Memory in Military Radar Personnel," Iranian J Publ Health, vol. 42, pp. 428-435, 2013.
• [3] S. M. J. Mortazavi, M. S. Rouintan, S. Taeb, N. Dehghan, A. A. Ghaffarpanah, Z. Sadeghi, et al.,
"Human short-term exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones decreases
computer-assisted visual reaction time," Acta Neurologica Belgica, vol. 112, pp. 171-175, 2012.
• [4] S. M. J. Mortazavi, M. A. Mosleh-Shirazi, A. R. Tavassoli, M. Taheri, A. R. Mehdizadeh, S. A. S.
Namazi, et al., "Increased Radioresistance to Lethal Doses of Gamma Rays in Mice and Rats after
Exposure to Microwave Radiation Emitted by a GSM Mobile Phone Simulator," Dose Response, vol. 11
pp. 281-292, 2013.
• [5] S. Mortazavi, M. Mosleh-Shirazi, A. Tavassoli, M. Taheri, Z. Bagheri, R. Ghalandari, et al., "A
comparative study on the increased radioresistance to lethal doses of gamma rays after exposure to
microwave radiation and oral intake of flaxseed oil," Iranian Journal of Radiation Research, vol. 9,
pp. 9-14, 2011.
• [6] S. M. J. Mortazavi, A. Habib, A. H. Ganj-Karimi, R. Samimi-Doost, A. Pour-Abedi, and A.
Babaie, "Alterations in TSH and Thyroid Hormones Following Mobile Phone Use," OMJ, vol. 24, pp.
274-278 2009.
• [7] S. M. J. Mortazavi, E. Daiee, A. Yazdi, K. Khiabani, A. Kavousi, R. Vazirinejad, et al., "Mercury
release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile
phone use," Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 11, pp. 1142-1146, 2008.

36
• [8] S. M. J. Mortazavi, J. Ahmadi, and M. Shariati, "Prevalence of subjective poor health
symptoms associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields among University students,"
Bioelectromagnetics, vol. 28, pp. 326-330, 2007.
• [9] S. M. J. Mortazavi, "Safety Issue of Mobile Phone Base Stations " J Biomed Phys Eng, vol. 3,
pp. 1-2, 2013.
• [10] S. M. J. Mortazavi, "Adaptive responses after exposure to cosmic and natural terrestrial
radiation," Indian Journal of Radiation Research, pp. 104-112, 2004.
• [11] S. M. J. Mortazavi, A. R. Tavasoli, F. Ranjbari, and P. Moamaei, "Effects of Laptop
Computers' Electromagnetic Field on Sperm Quality," Journal of Reproduction and Infertility, vol.
11, pp. 251-258, 2011.
• [12] S. M. Mortazavi, S. Vazife-Doost, M. Yaghooti, S. Mehdizadeh, and A. Rajaie-Far,
"Occupational exposure of dentists to electromagnetic fields produced by magnetostrictive cavitrons
alters the serum cortisol level," J Nat Sci Biol Med, vol. 3, pp. 60-4, Jan 2012.
• [13] S. M. Mortazavi, E. Daiee, A. Yazdi, K. Khiabani, A. Kavousi, R. Vazirinejad, et al., "Mercury
release from dental amalgam restorations after magnetic resonance imaging and following mobile
phone use," Pak J Biol Sci, vol. 11, pp. 1142-6, Apr 15 2008.
• [14] S. M. J. Mortazavi, M. Neghab, S. M. H. Anooshe, N. Bahaeddini, G. Mortazavi, and P.
Neghab, "High Magnetic Flux MRI Accelerates Release of Mercury from Dental Amalgam Fillings,"
THEIJOEM, 2014.
• [15] S. M. J. Mortazavi, M. Neghab, S. M. H. Anoosheh, N. Bahaeddini, G. Mortazavi, P. Neghab,
et al., "High-field MRI and Mercury release from dental amalgam fillings," International Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol. 5, pp. 101-105, 2014.
• [16] S. M. J. Mortazavi and G. Mortazavi, "Effects of X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging on
mercury release from dental amalgam into artificial saliva," Oral Radiology, pp. 1-2, 2014/09/30
2014.

Thank you
37

Powerpoint exposure to electromagnetic fields as a hazard for people with dental amalgam restorations - march 29 2015

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