A survey of anesthetic health hazards among dentists.
Measurable concentrations of waste anesthetic gases have been found in hospital dental operating rooms. A mail survey of 4,797 general dental practitioners and 2,642 oral surgeons indicated that 20.2% of the general practitioners and 74.8% of the oral surgeons had anesthetic exposures exceeding three hours per week. In the comparison of the health of individuals exposed or unexposed to inhalation anesthetics, there was a significant increase (78%) of spontaneous abortion in the spouses of exposed dentists and a significant increase (156%) in liver disease for exposed dentists. The implication of these findings and possible solutions are discussed.
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000367:Age Factors; D000571:American Dental Association; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology; D003815:Dentists; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000150:complications; D012953:Societies, Dental; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States