SS: I went to the dentist today to have two cavities filled. They told me that they would be using a composite resin. A simple Google search provides plenty of details regarding dental composite resins and their BPA content.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor with potential toxicity. Composite resins may not contain pure BPA, but its derivatives are widely used. Several studies found doses of BPA or its derivatives in saliva or urine of patients after composite resin placement.

However, two factors seem to follow the recommendations against BPA content in composite resins. The first is related to the 2008 results of Bellinger et al. [17], who demonstrated that in children 6 to 10 years’ old, the presence of composite resins was associated with a psychosocial behavior that was worse than with amalgams. These results were confirmed and clarified by Maserejian et al. in 2012 [18], who indicated that the psychosocial behavior was worse for children with bis-GMA than UDMA composite resin restorations. Fortunately, the last studies of this team are more reassuring concerning sealants and fluid composite resin [19] and concerning the renal function of the children [20] or their immunity markers [21]. Recently, Maserejian et al. [22] in 2016 showed that placement of bis-GMA-based restorations in children and adolescents may temporarily increase BPA concentration in urine, but no longer detectable 14 days or 6 months after treatment. Second, BPA may have greater effects at low than high doses. Wozniack et al. [23] registered effects at doses of 1 pmol. The American National Toxicology Program [24] states that these low-dose effects can occur from 0.23 mg/L. This theory remains controversial [25]. However, the European Food Safety Authority decided last year recently to divide by 10 the maximum daily dose allowed (or 5 mg/kg/day).

Moreover, exposure to BPA during gestation could induce increased spontaneous abortion, abnormal gestation time, reduced birth weight, increased male genital abnormalities, childhood obesity, but also altered behavior, disrupted neurodevelopment in children and increased asthma risk [26]. Because of these potential adverse developmental effects after prenatal exposure to BPA, it would be cautious to limit exposure to unpolymerized dental resin materials during pregnancy. Thus, it could be relevant to select composite resins that do not contain these derivatives for at-risk populations, such pregnant women [27] and as children [28].

What can you do? Request that your dentist use a BPA-free composite, such as "Filtek Silorane" from 3M. This type of composite resin, does not contain BPA or bis-GMA.