title: Mercury exposure in dental practice.
abstract: Since elemental mercury is absorbed by dental professionals through direct skin contact or inhalation, the use of mercury in dental amalgam continues to be a controversial issue. In this study, the authors address the possible health risk of occupational exposure to mercury vapor in the dental office. The cytogenetic examination of leukocytes with alkaline comet assay and blood mercury levels with Atomic Absorption Spectrometer of dentists exposed to mercury vapor below 0.1mg/m(3) concentrations failed to find cytogenetic damage and related correlation. However, higher cytogenetic damage and blood mercury levels evaluated in controls from mercury intake by seafood consumption justifies additional study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics and Conservative Treatment, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Gazi, Ankara, Turkey. aatesagaoglu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atesagaoglu
authors.forename: Huma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omurlu
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozcagli
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sardas
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ertas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001822:Body Burden; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D003815:Dentists; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury