title: Malignant mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in dental tape.
abstract: Although most cases of malignant mesothelioma of the pleura are caused by one or more readily recognized sources of exposure to asbestos, cases of the disease with more occult exposure occur, especially since asbestos has been used in over 3,000 products. Dental lining tape contained asbestos from the 1930s until at least the 1970s and was used in the lost wax method of casting crowns, bridges, and other metal dental prosthetic devices. We report six cases of pathology-verified malignant mesothelioma, mostly among dentists, following exposure to airborne dust from asbestos dental tape, which resulted in asbestos tort litigation. According to evidence available at present, chrysotile asbestos was the type of asbestos used in dental tape in the past in the United States, and the described cases followed relatively brief and intermittent exposure to this type of asbestos. These cases underscore the need for comprehensive exposure histories to determine exposure scenarios. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:437-442, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York.
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0052-6745
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.affiliation: Northwell Health and Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moline
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003735:Dental Casting Technique / Q000009:adverse effects; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos
keywords: asbestos; chrysotile; dental tape; dentist; mesothelioma