PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has banned the use of mercury dental fillings for children under the age of 15 to prevent them from developing serious illnesses, a local media outlet reported on Friday.
“All health workers in the dentistry unit of KP are requested to restrict and do not prefer mercury dental fillings for children below the age of 15 years in KP to safeguard their health at their very early age with immediate effect,” read a notification issued to all concerned departments of the provincial government.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) has long campaigned to ban or restrict the use of mercury in dental practices.
Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, infertility, anxiety, depression, fatigue and other illnesses are associated with exposure to mercury.
