South-East Asia Unites to Phase Out Mercury-Based Dental Fillings for Safer Oral Health

A recent workshop gathered health and environment stakeholders across WHO's South-East Asia Region to accelerate the phase-out of mercury-containing dental amalgam. Participants explored strategies for transitioning to mercury-free oral care and managing amalgam waste, in line with the Minamata Convention objectives.

Policymakers and experts from WHO's South-East Asia region convened to advance the phasing out of dental amalgam, a mercury-containing material used in dental fillings. This initiative aims to protect public health and the environment while promoting sustainable oral health care practices.

The impetus for change follows the Minamata Convention's resolution to eliminate dental amalgam by 2034, shifting its status from a phasedown to a complete phaseout. This landmark decision aims to address mercury's sustainable management and environmental impact, evidenced by the estimation of 3,000 to 5,000 metric tonnes stored globally in dental fillings.

Countries like Thailand are already demonstrating the feasibility of this transition, integrating prevention-oriented oral health policies and mercury-free alternatives. The workshop, as part of a larger project funded by the Global Environment Facility and executed by UNEP and WHO, also focuses on capacity-building for mercury waste management. Participants across sectors are collaboratively exploring methods to enhance oral health care access, financing, and policy reform to support this critical shift.