Mercury-Free Office

• Mercury fillings are one of the most controversial practices in traditional dentistry today. According to Dr. Jane Hightower in "Diagnosis: Mercury," mercury fillings were first used in 1818 and have been controversial since their introduction. Mercury has long been recognized as a toxic substance, and in 1843 the American Society of Dental Surgeons stated that dentists who used mercury amalgam fillings were guilty of malpractice. Today, however, more and more studies are indicating that mercury fillings are dangerous and can cause mercury poisoning. In 1991, the World Health Organization released a report stating that mercury amalgams are the greatest inorganic source of toxic mercury vapor, exposing people to mercury levels higher than the safety standards set for food and air.
  
  The simplest and most important way a dental practice can go green is by becoming a mercury-free office. Many dental offices today do not offer mercury amalgam fillings. Porcelain, composites, glass and gold are some of the alternative materials for fillings that are better for your health as well as for the environment. Some green dental practices will also remove your mercury fillings. If you decide to have your mercury fillings removed, make sure you go to a dentist who follows the mercury removal safety procedures recommended by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. These include using water on the fillings to minimize toxic vapor, using a suction system to contain particles and providing a mercury-free source of air.
  
  

Office Practices

• Another way that a dental practice can go green is by lowering the environmental impact of their office. Steps that will do this include reducing waste, improving efficiency and lowering pollution. A green dental office can use reusable towels, biodegradable cleaners and high-efficiency machines. The office should have an environmentally sustainable method of disposing of toxic waste. It can also use paperless records to lower its paper consumption. All of these steps will make the overall impact of the dentist office less damaging to the environment.