But the effect was small, and the lead researcher was quick to point out that her team didn't measure BPA levels in particular -- and had no way of knowing if any other chemicals were leaching out of the fillings.

"It's a controversial topic in dental research, how much really does leach (from fillings) ... and whether or not that would have an effect," said Nancy Maserejian, from New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts. "It's generally assumed that the amounts leached are tiny."

She said dental fillings made using BPA are becoming more popular because they are teeth-colored, as opposed to older, silver-colored amalgam fillings.

BPA, short for bisphenol A, is a chemical used to make plastics that's also found in some food packaging and canned goods. Last year, a study tied prenatal exposure to BPA to hyperactivity and anxiety, especially in girls. But its effects are still far from clear.

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By Genevra Pittman, via DrBicuspid.com