Exposure to mercury vapor and impact on health in the dental profession

ABSTRACT

In this study, detailed measurements of mercury vapor exposure in dental profession were carried out. The study was conducted on 33 dentists and dental nurses with a control group of 30 physicians and nurses work in the same hospital. The results showed that Hg-vapor concentration at any moment was dependant on the level of work-related activities. The urinary Hg concentration in the exposed group was 7.4 mug/L compared with 2.0 mug/L in the control group. There was a positive correlation between urinary Hg concentrations and Hg levels in air among the exposed group. By regression analysis, hours of practice/week and number of amalgam restoration/week were the most predicators of urinary Hg levels in dentistry. The results confirmed that a good ventilation system, the design of dental laboratories and the improvement of dental office hygiene were essential to keep the amount of inhaled or absorbed Hg-vapor below the threshold limits