Dental work contains lead, no federal limit has been established
September 25th, 2008 joshua
A CBS News investigation found that dental work like crowns and bridges have tested positive for high levels of lead.
The problem exists in that there is no federally-allowable minimum amount of lead that can be included in dental work.
In this investigation, CBS reporters in Columbus, Ohio, purchased 13 crowns from labs in China. Many dental offices outsource their lab work and get things such as crowns and bridges from Chinese manufacturers.
The American Dental Association would like to know if the lead contained in these parts leeches out. The FDA did not establish a limit on how much lead could be in these dental elements.
In the CBS investigation the lead found in these bridges and crowns equaled 110-240 parts per million.
One dental lab expert interviewed for the story believed the lead on the crowns came from the stain used to whiten the teeth. This, he believed, was worse because the surface is usually in more direct contact with the inside of the mouth.












