[defensem3ch]

from an article cited in another comment: "The mere presence of objects this size is potentially disruptive to the body, because even if they are chemically inert, they are small enough to get into and disrupt cells, rather like sand in an engine."

[euroderf]

As I understand it, this is how asbestos causes cancer. So I too would worry about objects this small, even if chemically inert.