Preparation for prevention of emission of mercury from amalgam fillings and method

• US 5,182,099 A
• Filed: 08/27/1991
• Issued: 01/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemidifarm A.S.
• Original Assignee: Swedima, Inc.
• Inventors: Jonsson, Eston, Waern, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Rose, Shep K.
• Application Number:
  US07/750,474
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 424/49-53, 424/703-705, 424/49, 424/903, 424/705, 424/2, 424/10, 424/48, 424/40, 106/35, 433/215, 433/226, 433/228.1, 433/229
• US Class Current: 424/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 6/17 Particle size
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 6/30 Compositions for temporarily or permanently fixing teeth or palates, e.g. primers for dental adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/23 Sulfur; Selenium; Tellurium; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 11/00 Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses

Abstract

A method of preventing or decreasing the emission of mercury vapor in the mouth, from a mercury amalgam filling, comprising contacting the amalgam filling with an oral composition containing sulfur in an amount sufficient to reduce or eliminate the emission of mercury or mercury vapor. The oral composition may be in the form of a toothpaste, chewing gum, mouthwash water, mouth spray, or the like.

Claims

1. A method of preventing or decreasing the emission or mercury vapor in the mouth from a mercury amalgam filling in a tooth in the mouth of a host, comprising contacting the amalgam filling with an oral composition containing sulfur in an amount that is effective for reducing or eliminating the emission of mercury or mercury vapor from the mercury-containing dental amalgam in the mouth of said host.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sulfur is present in a toothpaste, a chewing-gum, a mount wash water or a mouth spray which is brought into contact with the amalgam, which composition comprises (a) from about 0.005% to about 1% sulfur;

and (b) from about 50% to about 99.9% of a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.