Recent state and national news reports have indicated the potential danger Bisphenol A (BPA) can have on human development and reproduction.

Some reports incorrectly cite dental sealants as a product that contains BPA. Rather, sealants contain bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA), which is an entirely separate compound from BPA.

Although some believe BPA is an ingredient in dental sealants and composites, it is not. There is minimal evidence that some dental sealants and, to a lesser extent, composites might contribute to low-level BPA exposure, probably through the action of salivary enzymes on a minor ingredient.

The American Dental Association statement says, "The ADA sees no cause for concern at this time regarding the potential BPA exposure from composites or sealants. The presence of a substance in the environment or in human blood or urine samples does not mean that substance is necessarily causing harm. Whether or not a substance is harmful to human health depends upon how much of the substance we are exposed to. Virtually any substance can have a harmful effect at high doses - even water and vitamins."

The ADA awaits the results of a report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It also supports further research into how much BPA people are actually exposed to and at what levels of exposure health effects start to occur. As the professional association of dentists committed to the public's oral health, the ADA is greatly interested in the results of such research. Dentistry is a science-based profession and it continues to advance clinical studies and research in this area.

BPA is widely used in the manufacture of some types of consumer plastic products. Recent news reports raise concerns about the safety of such widespread BPA use in consumer products, because laboratory testing suggests it might affect human reproduction and development by mimicking the effects of the female hormone estrogen.

Additional references

American Dental Association
View the ADA’s complete position statement on this issue.

Ultradent
Manufacturer of dental sealants clarifies the difference between BPA and bis-GMA.