BPA dental fillings linked to behavior changes

HealthDayChildren who receive dental fillings made from the controversial plastics chemical bisphenol A could undergo small but long-term changes in their behavior, a new study released Monday suggests.

Researchers looked at 534 children with fillings and examined their social skills before and five years after getting fillings. The fillings tested were made of either a silver blend called amalgam, which has been phased out because it contains mercury, or made of plastic composites, some of which are based on bisGMA, a material made from BPA.

The children who got the highest number of bisGMA-based fillings had slightly more emotional problems five years later than those who got fewer of the fillings. But no such change occurred with other types of fillings.

Although it remains controversial whether BPA affects health, previous research has linked BPA exposure to hyperactivity and aggressive behavior in young children.