WHO Urges Faster African Mercury Filling Phase-Out

Oral health is increasingly being treated as an essential part of overall health, with efforts spanning prevention, workforce development and safer dental care. In Africa, experts are urging countries to speed the shift away from mercury-containing amalgam fillings, citing health and environmental risks as well as shortages of alternatives, training and safe waste systems; Ghana’s national strategy also aims to strengthen prevention, services and access by integrating oral health into the wider health system. In the United States, Rochester is establishing a dental school to educate clinicians and researchers amid a substantial dentist shortage and growing need to care for patients with complex health conditions. For individuals, dental professionals recommend brushing twice daily, flossing once a day and keeping regular dental appointments; untreated gum disease is associated with broader health risks, though the precise links remain under study.