Does Chewing Gum Increase Mercury in the Body?

DOES CHEWING GUM INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MERCURY IN THE
BODY

Gebel T, Dunkelberg H. (Influence of gum chewing and of amalgam fillings with
dental contacts to metal fillings of different type on the urinary mercury content.)
Einfluss des Kaugumikonsums sowie metallischen Restaurationen anderer Art auf
den Quecksilberuringehalt. Zbl Hyg 199:69-75 (1996) (In German with abstract in
English )

ABSTRACT: “It had been shown previously by various authors that contact of amalgam
fillings to metal fillings of different type can increase the electrochemically caused
amalgam corrosion in vitro thus leading to an elevated release of mercury. So it was
recommended to renounce of a dental contact of amalgam to metal fillings of other type.
One aim of the present study was to evaluate possible influences of this contact in vivo
on the urinary mercury contents in human volunteers. Neither approximal nor occlusal
contacts had any influence on the urinary mercury excretion in comparison to a reference
group with similar amalgam status. Furthermore, the influence of gum chewing on
urinary mercury levels was taken into account. It could be shown that the consumption of
chewing gum resulted in a significantly higher mean urinary mercury content in probands
with amalgam fillings in comparison to people with similar amalgam status (gum
chewers: 1.36 Hg/24 h vs. non-chewers 0.70 ug Hg/24 h). Thus, gum chewing has to be
considered as important parameter of influence on the urinary mercury levels of people
with amalgam fillings.”