Can dental amalgam fillings raise mercury levels in your blood?

What's actually in it

Dental amalgam fillings, the silver-colored ones, are made from a mixture of mercury (about 50%), silver, tin, copper, and other metals. Mercury is the element that makes the amalgam soft enough to place in a cavity and then harden. Once in your tooth, the filling slowly releases mercury vapor that you breathe in and absorb through your mouth tissues. Chewing, grinding, and drinking hot beverages all increase the release rate.

The Minamata Convention aims to phase down dental amalgam use worldwide due to mercury's toxicity.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Clin Chem Lab Med analyzed data from American adults and found that people with dental amalgam fillings had higher blood mercury concentrations than those without. The relationship was dose-dependent: more fillings meant higher mercury.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Even at low levels, it can affect memory, concentration, and nervous system function. The study showed that dental amalgams are a meaningful and ongoing source of mercury exposure for the millions of people who have them.

If you need new fillings, composite resin or ceramic alternatives contain no mercury. For existing amalgam fillings, safe removal by a trained dentist (who uses proper containment protocols) eliminates the ongoing exposure. Don't remove them yourself or let a dentist remove them without proper precautions, as the process can temporarily spike mercury levels.