Table 3.
Urine mercury concentrations (μg/g creatinine) according to amalgam exposure characteristics
| Characteristic | n (%) | mean±SD | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of amalgam-filled teeth | |||
| 0a) | 31 (32.0) | 0.53±0.63a | <0.001 |
| 1–5 | 49 (50.5) | 0.92±0.88b | |
| ≥6 | 17 (17.5) | 3.19±2.55c | |
| No. of amalgam-filled cavity surfaces | |||
| 0a) | 31 (32.0) | 0.53±0.63a | <0.001 |
| 1–5 | 37 (38.1) | 0.71±0.61a | |
| 6–10 | 19 (19.6) | 1.99±1.60b | |
| ≥11 | 10 (10.3) | 3.52±2.94b | |
| Treatment time of the recent amalgam filling (yr) | |||
| 0a) | 31 (32.0) | 0.53±0.63a | <0.001 |
| <1 | 7 (7.2) | 1.28±1.22a,b | |
| 1–3 | 21 (21.6) | 1.19±1.45b | |
| ≥3 | 38 (39.2) | 1.72±2.02b | |
| No. of defective amalgams | |||
| 0a) | 31 (32.0) | 0.53±0.63a | <0.001 |
| 0 | 35 (36.1) | 0.77±1.05a | |
| 1 | 22 (22.7) | 1.44±0.88b | |
| ≥2 | 9 (9.3) | 4.49±2.57c | |
| Total | 97 (100) | 1.19±1.57 |
SD, standard deviation.
a)
Nonexposure group.
a,b,c
Bonferroni post hoc test: (a<b<c).