Questions about BPA Safety

BPA or bisphenol A continues to roil the scientific community. This chemical is used to line food and beverage cans and to make hard clear plastics. Researchers have reported high levels of BPA is some carbonless cash register receipts. Studies suggest that bisphenol A can act like estrogen, but the clinical significance remains confusing. Since nearly all Americans are exposed to BPA, the question of whether it is a significant endocrine disruptor is important. That question cannot yet be answered with certainty, largely because so many studies offer contradictory conclusions.
Even without clarity, some doctors are making recommendations. An article in the journal Pediatrics suggests that women should avoid having dental sealants applied during pregnancy. These sealants contain chemicals related to BPA. Presumably exposure during pregnancy would boost in utero BPA exposure in their babies. There is concern that such early exposure might increase future risk of some reproductive system cancers as well as heart disease and abnormal brain development. Once children have permanent teeth, pediatricians say, dental sealants can help protect them. If dentists wipe and rinse the sealants after they are applied, BPA levels in the mouth are dramatically lowered.

[Pediatrics, Sept 6, 2010]