Investigative reporter Roberta Baskin at
WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., tells me that we can add dental work to the long list of lead-tainted products that come to the U.S. from China.
Other news organizations, such as
The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch and WBNS-TV,
have reported on the fact that bridges, crowns and fillings have been coming to the states tainted with lead. The stuff goes right into your mouth. But Baskin found more precise information.
Baskin found lead levels in imported crowns to be more than five times the level being recommended for children's toys. Keep in mind, these crowds are heading for somebody's mouth.
Watch and read about the story here.
So how do you keep yourself safe?
The Columbus Dispatch suggests:
The American Dental Association has begun a "larger-scale
investigation into the safety of both foreign and domestically produced
dental crowns and other dental prostheses."
Until the results are available, the ADA says patients with concerns might want to ask their dentists these questions:
- Do you make your own crowns, bridges, etc., or buy them from a dental laboratory?
- Where is the lab located?
- Does the lab outsource crowns or bridges to a foreign country?
- If the lab is in a foreign country, does it provide written documentation that it is registered with the FDA?
- Does the lab provide written documentation that it uses FDA-approved materials?
- Have you noticed any problems with the crowns, bridges or other items produced by this lab?
