title: Measurement of particle concentrations in a dental office.
abstract: Particles in a dental office can be generated by a number of instruments, such as air-turbine handpieces, low-speed handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, bicarbonate polishers, polishing cups, as well as drilling and air sprays inside the oral cavity. This study examined the generation of particles during dental drilling and measured particle size, mass, and trace elements. The air sampling techniques included both continuous and integrated methods. The following particle continuous measurements were taken every minute: (1) size-selective particle number concentration (Climet); (2) total particle number concentration (PTRAK), and; (3) particle mass concentration (DustTrak). Integrated particle samples were collected for about 5 h on each of five sampling days, using a PM(2.5) sampler (ChemComb) for elemental/organic carbon analysis, and a PM(10) sampler (Harvard Impactor) for mass and elemental analyses. There was strong evidence that these procedures result in particle concentrations above background. The dental procedures produced number concentrations of relatively small particles (<0.5 microm) that were much higher than concentrations produced for the relatively larger particles (>0.5 microm). Also, these dental procedures caused significant elevation above background of certain trace elements (measured by X-ray fluorescence) but did not cause any elevation of elemental carbon (measured by thermal optical reflectance). Dental drilling procedures aerosolize saliva and products of drilling, producing particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. The potential health impacts of the exposure of dental personnel to such particles need to be evaluated. Increased ventilation and personal breathing protection could be used to minimize harmful effects.
authors.affiliation: Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sotiriou
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Jack M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wolfson
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demokritou
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Sonja N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sax
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koutrakis
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D003748:Dental Equipment; D003762:Dental Instruments / Q000382:microbiology; D003770:Dental Offices; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008404:Massachusetts; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational