A while ago I wrote an article on BPA in dental sealants and composite fillings. Just a few days ago I saw a relevant article and decided to feature it on today's article.
Apparently, most tests on BPA have been done on rats, or something, but not on people. The EFSA has found that "adults and infants rapidly metabolize BPA and eliminate the substance."
When I wrote part 1 of this series I had one unanswered question. I found the question to be very hard to research. I saw my dentist yesterday, and finally got my answer.
My question was "Can dental sealants be removed?" The answer was "yes, but you might do more damage that way." She said in order to remove them she'd probably have to drill them out. The drill would likely drill away at the underlying enamel. That would make the tooth more susceptible to cavities.
My next question was "Since acid was required to etch the enamel to allow the sealant to bond to the tooth, when the sealant eventually comes out, won't my tooth have these etchings which will make it more susceptible to cavities?"
She said "Oh no, it's such a little bit of acid. When your saliva hits the etching, the minerals are replenished and the etchings disappear. Your tooth will be smooth again."
In conclusion, according to one study, BPA might not be as bad as we thought, and dental sealants can be taken out, but there's a risk of damaging enamel. If you don't want them, unless you have a real immediate need to have them removed, it is probably best to wait until they fall out on their own. This can take 5 to 10 years, or even longer. My dentist told me that they might be there for life.
UPDATE: According to these articles BPA may be harmful to human health. People with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to have heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest levels.
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