European Parliament representatives and the Belgian EU presidency clinched a political deal (8 February) on rules to ban the use of dental amalgam from the beginning of next year. Current rules forbid the use of amalgam for treating children under 15 years old and pregnant or breastfeeding women. This prohibition will be extended to every EU citizen once the political deal is formally approved by the Parliament and EU ministers in the coming weeks. Some limited exceptions to this ban will continue where deemed strictly necessary by dentists. “This is an important step towards a mercury-free fu…