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. 2022 Mar 8;19(6):3153.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063153.

Prevention of Occupational Hazards Due to Asbestos Exposure in Dentistry. A Proposal from a Panel of Experts

Carmen Anaya-Aguilar  1 , Manuel Bravo  2 , Antonio Magan-Fernandez  3 , Ramon Del Castillo-Salmerón  4 , Alberto Rodríguez-Archilla  5 , Javier Montero  6 , Eva Rosel  4 , Paco Puche  7 , Rosa Anaya-Aguilar  1
Affiliations

Prevention of Occupational Hazards Due to Asbestos Exposure in Dentistry. A Proposal from a Panel of Experts

Carmen Anaya-Aguilar et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Asbestos in all its forms is a Group 1 material agent with proven carcinogenic effects in the human being since 1977. Exposure to asbestos can be considered unsafe. The use of asbestos in the field of dentistry had a common use in the manufacture of dental prostheses in the 1960s and 1970s. Taking into account the long induction period of this agent and the plausibility for being a risk factor in dentistry, the objective of this study is to propose a plan for the prevention of occupational risks due to asbestos exposure in dentistry by means of the contribution of a panel of experts. An Expert Panel (EP) approach was used in which a group of nine experts identified and documented the use of asbestos in the dental profession. EP was created and followed the protocol in accordance with the EuropeAid Assessment Guidelines. As a result of this study, EP documented the common use and sources of asbestos in dentistry in prosthetic materials, dental dressings, and in the coating of casting cylinders. EP also created a consensus document on the priority measures for the Plan for the Prevention of Risks from Asbestos in Dentistry, based on previous reports from the European Commission Senior Labour Inspectors' Committee. The document concluded that obtainment of information, receiving specific training on the subject and performing epidemiological studies, and the proper risk assessments were the priority measures to adopt.

Keywords: asbestos; chrysotile; dental technician; mesothelioma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Casting Cylinders. Source: Dental Museum. Faculty of Dentistry. University of Granada (2021).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Asbestos liner inside casting cylinder. Source: Dental Museum. Faculty of Dentistry. University of Granada (2021).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Crucible for melting metals that would be later inserted into a Solbrig-Platshick casting cylinder. Source: Dental Museum. Faculty of Dentistry. University of Granada (2021).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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