How i started practicing mercury-free dentistry- Cameroon Dental Surgeon

Dr, Bouetou Theresia is a Dental Surgeon and supervisor at the Cameroon Baptists Convention Health Services. She shares her experience on how the use of amalgam ended around 2006-2007 at the dental clinic in CBCHS.
As a dentist, i had used amalgam for tooth restoration for about eleven years. During these years, i loved reading especially articles on dentistry on the website.
I read articles on amalgam toxicity due to the presence of Mercury in it. It became a topic of interest for me as we were using Amalgam in the Cameroon Baptists Convention CBC Dental Clinics.
At first there was the alloy powder with a measuring spoon and mercury in big containers that needed to be dispensed in smaller containers before dropping in to the capsule with measured amalgam alloy.
Sometimes Mercury balls spread on the floor, in the dust bin or containers specially kept for excess Mercury droplets. Later on there was the use of Amalgam alloy in capsules but Mercury had to be added. At times, cloths were used to squeeze the excess Mercury out in order to have the desired consistency.
Noticing that there was an argument where some dentists say the Mercury in combination form is not toxic, i decided to observe until 2004 after reading some few articles on this argument thought to myself that it would not be good thing to continue using Amalgam if we are talking about the lives of dental service providers, including the housekeepers, clients themselves with Amalgam powder in their mouths and the community as a whole where waste is disposed. The fact that Mercury is not easy to be destroyed, i talked with my colleagues to stop using Amalgam specifically in Etoug-Ebe Baptist hospital. The use of Amalgam ended around 2006-2007.
There was surely some opposition especially in the other CBC Dental Clinics, but with the cooperation of some of my colleagues like Dr. Agbor Michael and Dr. Leo Achembong, the purchase of Amalgam was stopped in the Cameroon Baptist Convention. Some clinics may use few donated capsules or what was stocked over the years.
Presently, the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services is no more using Amalgam as a dental restorative material.
The use of Glass ionomer Cement and composite as restorative material have facilitated the elimination of Amalgam in the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services.