Occupational health complaints and adverse patient reactions as perceived by personnel in public dentistry

A questionnaire survey on health complaints experienced by personnel in public dentistry was undertaken in 1979 and repeated in 1988/89. The reply rates were about 80% and 83%. In both surveys, about one half of the personnel reported occupation-related health complaints, a majority of which were dermatoses of hands and fingers. The dermatoses were attributed to seasonal air quality problems, or to contact with chemically active substances relevant to hygienic measures, treatment patterns, or other activities connected with the running of a dental clinic. The majority of the dermatoses were probably irritative. Some presumably hypersensitivity reactions occurred after handling of dental materials. Latex gloves, which were in general use only at the time of the last survey, seemed to have prevented some dermatoses formerly attributed to handwashing procedures. However, latex gloves per se had also induced dermatoses. Non-dermatological ailments of a transient nature comprised eye, respiratory, or systemic reactions and were connected with volatiles from X-ray liquids, methylmethacrylate monomer, and disinfectants. Adverse patient reactions occurred at a frequency of about one per 2600 treated patients. The observations comprised skin reactions (head/face), gingival/mucosal ulcerations, and sometimes systemic/urticarial reactions. The reactions were associated with the use of local anesthetics, orthodontic appliances, and other biomaterials. Two reactions were related to contact with the dentists' latex gloves.