Mercury: answering some of the current controversies about it

Recently there has been a lot of interest in the medical and lay press concerning exposure to mercury and its potential toxic effects. Mercury is a naturally occurring metallic element, which can be found as Hg or inorganic and organic salts. In this article we will review the risks of exposure and toxicity of each of the forms of mercury, including some of the current guidance concerning the risks of mercury toxicity from eating fish, dental amalgam and vaccinations containing mercury (thiomersal) preservatives.