Closed petition Choice of Non-mercury Tooth Fillings on NHS

Closed on 20 August 2013

Since authorities across the world still cannot make up their minds about the safety of metal fillings containing mercury, non-mercury fillings should be made available to NHS patients at all occasions during treatment when a dental filling is required, and not only when it is at the front of the mouth, and therefore visible.

Alongside the problem of mercury toxicity, and no one can deny that mercury is toxic, the use of metallic fillings is counter-intuitive because metal is heat sensitive, and contracts or expands when exposed to cold or hot. This causes discomfort and the potential for decay to form around the shrunken edge of the filling.

This petition asks that free, non-mercury, fillings, or similar treatments, be available to NHS patients if and when they choose this option over the mercury fillings, which are used at present as standard in many proceedures.