RESUMEN
Introducción: la gestión inadecuada de residuos en el sector de la salud, especialmente en odontología, conlleva riesgos para la salud y el medio ambiente. En Chile, el reglamento sobre manejo de residuos de establecimientos de atención de salud (REAS) clasifica los residuos según su riesgo. La odontología sostenible, mediante prácticas como las 3 R y un modelo ampliado de 5 R, reduce impactos ambientales y costos, atrayendo a pacientes ecoconscientes. Objetivos: identificar el impacto ambiental de residuos en odontología y, utilizando el modelo de 5R, proponer acciones ecológicas basadas en evidencia, que se puedan aplicar en Chile. Materiales y Métodos: se realizó una revisión narrativa sobre el manejo de residuos generados en servicios dentales y prácticas sustentables durante la atención. Se utilizaron 30 artículos para lograr los objetivos. Resultados: los residuos odontológicos, en especial los quirúrgicos, provocan un impacto desmesurado en el medio ambiente. La generación y gestión de estos residuos dependen directamente de los profesionales. La odontología ecológica se centra en la adopción de prácticas sustentables y diferentes tecnologías e innovaciones para reducir el consumo de energía y la generación de residuos. Se presentan alternativas basadas en las 5R (reducir, reutilizar, reciclar, reflexionar e investigar) para disminuir la huella ambiental en la odontología. Conclusión: abordar el impacto ambiental de la odontología es crucial. La odontología sostenible requiere un enfoque interdisciplinario, prácticas más ecoamigables y políticas públicas adecuadas. La educación continua, la investigación y la concienciación ambiental son esenciales para este cambio. El método de las 5R es clave para fomentar la sostenibilidad en la odontología.
Introduction: Inadequate waste management in the healthcare sector, especially in dentistry, poses risks to health and the environment. In Chile, regulations on waste management from health care facilities (REAS) classify waste according to its risk level. Sustainable dentistry, through practices such as the 3 Rs and an expanded model of the 5 Rs, reduces environmental impacts and costs, appealing to eco-conscious patients. Materials and Methods: A review of the literature was performed on the management of waste generated in dental services and sustainable practices during care. Thirty articles were used to achieve the objectives. Results: Dental waste, especially surgical waste, has a disproportionate impact on the environment. The generation and management of these wastes depend directly on professionals. Ecological dentistry focuses on adopting sustainable practices and different technologies and innovations to reduce energy consumption and waste generation. Alternatives based on the 4 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, and reflect) are presented to reduce the environmental footprint in dentistry. Alternatives based on the 5Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and research) are presented to reduce the environmental footprint in dentistry. Conclusion: Addressing the environmental impact of dentistry is crucial. Sustainable dentistry requires an interdisciplinary approach, eco-friendly practices, and appropriate public policies. Continuous education, research, and environmental awareness are essential for this change. The 5R method is key to promoting sustainability in dentistry.
RESUMEN
The effects of global warming and climate change are happening at a faster rate than expected, and they are going to get worse. Global climate change has already started to show the effects on environment—fast melting glaciers, accelerated sea level rise and base shifting of native flora and fauna. There has been an increase in temperature globally with a few countries already showing intense heat waves and extreme cold temperatures. The interrelation between dentistry, environmental impact and human health is still in its nascent stage, but studies in medicine show that the healthcare industry contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, poor air quality, food and water insecurity, extreme weather events and vector?borne illnesses. The concept of eco?friendly dentistry has evolved in this context for providing environmentally feasible dental solutions. Paediatric dentistry is no exception. The concept of prevention has to be promoted more in paediatric dentistry to provide a positive impact on environment. The prevention of oral diseases will lead to less travel to paediatric dental clinics, less use of dental materials, lesser energy usage, minimal use of single?use plastics and less use of nitrous oxide/general anaesthesia for behaviour management. The greenhouse gases have an effect on teeth of children in relation to early childhood caries (ECC). Here, we discuss the impact of climate change on paediatric dentistry and what changes can be made to provide environment?friendly solutions
RESUMEN
Las Escuelas de Odontología como espacios educativos universitarios son un lugar idóneo para trabajar de manera urgente los procesos de ambientalización curricular que permitan realizar de forma horizontal y vertical temáticas y contenidos para crear y recrear un tipo de cultura y conciencia más amigable con el medio ambiente, y contribuir con conductas y actitudes sustentables en los estudiantes, docentes y trabajadores administrativos hacia una reducción significativa en la contaminación del ambiente local, regional y mundial, colaborando en ello con la solución a la regularización del clima y el control de los desastres ocasionados por el cambio climático. Además de esto, a ser las Escuelas de Odontología instituciones educativas que pueden funcionar bajo el paradigma de la sustentabilidad, se lograría contribuir al aseguramiento de los recursos naturales renovables y no renovables para las nuevas generaciones, además del logro de un importante ahorro económico en el gasto corriente de las escuelas (AU)
The Dental School as university educational spaces are an ideal place to urgently work on the curricular greening processes that allow working horizontally and vertically with themes and contents that allow creating and recreating a type of culture and awareness that is more friendly to the environment and contribute with sustainable behaviors and attitudes in students, teachers and administrative workers a more significant reduction in pollution of the local, regional and global environment, collaborating in this with the solution to the regularization of the climate and the control of disasters caused by change climate. In addition, being the School of Dentistry educational institutions that can function under the paradigm of sustainability, it would be possible to contribute to the assurance of renewable and non-renewable natural resource for the new generations, in addition to achieving significant economic savings in current spending from school (AU)