Dental amalgam controversy respondents would prefer to be told about mercury in dental amalgam before receiving it as a filling. A 1993 study published in FDA Consumer found that 50% of Americans believed fillings containing mercury caused health problems. Some dentists (including a member of the FDA's Dental Products Panel) suggest that there is an obligation to inform patients that amalgam contains mercury. A prominent debate occurred in the late 20th century, with consumer and regulatory pressure to eliminate amalgam, "at an all-time high". In a 2006 nationwide poll, 76% of Americans were unaware that mercury is the primary component in amalgam fillings,
Amalgam tattoo Amalgam tattoo Amalgam tattoo (also termed localized argyrosis, or focal argyrosis) is a grey, blue or black area of discoloration on the mucous membranes of the mouth, typically on the gums of the lower jaw. It is an iatrogenic lesion, caused by entry of dental amalgam into the soft tissues. It is common, painless, and benign, but it can be mistaken for melanoma. Amalgam tattoo usually occurs on the mandibular gingiva, often in an area in which a apicoectomy ("root-end filling") with amalgam was carried out. After the gingiva, the alveolar mucosa and the buccal mucosa are the next most