Silicosis in dental supply factory workers.
Dental products contain a variety of potentially hazardous materials, including metals, organic chemical compounds, plastics, and inorganic mineral dusts. The risk of silicosis has been documented for workers of dental laboratories, but not dental supply factories, where the exposures could be expected to be higher. We report in this article five cases of silicosis, four of them with progressive massive fibrosis, in workers from two dental supply factories. This report underlines the need for effective occupational health programs in this type of industrial facilities.
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. rafael.delahoz@mssm.edu
Rafael E
RE
de la Hoz
Kenneth
K
Rosenman
Alain
A
Borczuk
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000633:toxicity*; D003813:Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D012829:Silicosis / Q000209:etiology*
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003764:Dental Materials; D012822:Silicon Dioxide