3/15/2024 0 Comments What causes mercury poisoningMost scientific studies find no relationship between amalgam fillings and symptoms of mercury poisoning in any age group, although a small number of people have allergic reactions to these fillings. Because mercury has long been recognized as poisonous to humans, concerns about the potential of mercury poisoning from dental amalgams have been addressed by abundant research. The choice of filling materials depends on the location of surface(s) to be repaired, how cooperative the patient is, and several other factors.ĭental amalgam fillings contain mercury and other metals. ĭental cavities are treated by drilling out the decayed material and replacing it with a filling, either an amalgam filling or one of the newer types of tooth-colored composite fillings. Untreated tooth decay leads to holes in the teeth (cavities), infections (abscesses), pain, and tooth loss. The result is acid which can erode dental enamel. Tooth decay begins when bacteria in saliva and plaque, a sticky substance found on gums and teeth, interact with sugars and starches in the diet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 41 percent of children had dental caries in their primary (baby) teeth and 90 percent of adults had caries in their permanent teeth. Most research finds no relationship between fillings and symptoms of mercury poisoning.ĭental caries (tooth decay) are pervasive. Minamata disease is by no means over but, by showing people around the world what victims can do and achieve, I think the world can take courage.Do dental fillings containing amalgam ("silver fillings") cause mercury poisoning? The people of Minamata suffered a lot from the disease and were torn apart, but from that we gained a wonderful power, in the form of the Minamata Convention. Minamata, which has suffered so much, helped the world create the UN Convention named after the city, which will save the lives of many people around the world. Her words stuck in my chest, and I chose to stop hiding, at the age of 38.įor 10 years, my application to be officially declared a Minamata disease victim was rejected until, on March 15, 2007, the Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture declared that she would recognize me as a Minamata disease patient.Īfter receiving the certification, I asked myself how I would live in the future, then I decided to become a storyteller, so that I could tell people all over the world about the disease. It was my daughter who said to me that I had to live honestly. I would change the subject if it came up, and say that it had nothing to do with me. When I was younger, I hid my disease from others. Mercury and Minamata Disease: a Lesson from Japan | United Nations | UN in Action Are you okay to go to such a place as a bride?” Naming me, the person said to her, “the man you are trying to marry is a Minamata disease victim. I got married at the age of 20, but on the day of our engagement, my wife had a phone call. Rumours spread though, and people would say that no one should marry a member of the Ogata family. We came to understand that it was caused by methylmercury poisoning but we couldn’t really make it public that we were victims, because people thought that Minamata disease was contagious. I work as a joiner and, when I was younger, would often cut my finger on the whetstone when sharpening knives, because my finger would droop. When I became an adult, I noticed that I had very little sensation in my limbs. My sister Hitomi, who was born a week before her grandfather developed the illness, was born with a disability, again without explanation, then other members of the Ogata family started falling ill one after another. However, we were never told what caused the illness. That was the first tragedy caused by Minamata disease in the Ogata family. Two months later, he passed away in the isolation and infectious diseases ward at the Minamata City Hospital. Minamata Disease is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning.
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