A website specialising in asbestos related diseases has released a report stating that dentists and dental technicians could be at risk of developing diseases associated with asbestos.
The report claims that dental professionals may be exposed to asbestos because it is present in some of the materials they use to make lining materials for dental devices. The chance of developing a disease is increased by continuous exposure to asbestos; consequently, over the course of a career, a dentist may spend several years in contact with asbestos, without realising the risks.
Concerns have also been raised following the death of a retired dental technician from East Sussex. Edward Seviour passed away last year at the age of 73 and the coroner, Alan Craze, has subsequently found the cause of death to be industrial disease. Mr Seviour was diagnosed with mesothelioma, which is associated with exposure to asbestos in the workplace in 90 percent of cases. The coroner added that the dental technician had sadly endangered his health during the course of his career without realising he was surrounded by asbestos.
The authors of the report have urged dental professionals that believe they may have come into contact with asbestos in the past to contact their GP. In many cases, the symptoms of asbestos poisoning present in a similar way to a chest infection; if you display any of the symptoms, such as a persistent cough, wheezing and difficulty breathing, see your doctor as soon as possible.
