Summary: During 1993 – 1997 altogether 50 women after delivery participated in this study. In the period 3 – 7 days post partum all individuals were dentally examined and interviewed for possible occupational and food mercury exposure, dental arches casted and samples of blood, urine, colostrum and later milk taken. Plaster models of dentition were prepared, amalgam fillings coloured and scanned for computer aided surface measurements. Samples of body fluids were analysed for mercury by means of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mercury levels in colostrum and breast milk correlated significantly positively with the surface area of amalgam fillings present in the mouth. The concentrations of mercury in milk and colostrum were found to be nearly twice as high as those in sera and urine. The calculated daily intake of mercury by suckling infant might be 50 – 100 times below the tolerated daily dose.

        Key words: mercury – breast milk – amalgam filling – iatrogenic exposure to mercury