Accidental ingestion of an air-water syringe tip during routine dental treatment: a case report

Abstract

Accidental ingestion of instruments ortheir components is a possible complication of dental treatment. Although in many cases the foreign object can pass through the gastrointestinal tract without any need for surgical intervention to retrieve it, sometimes such incidents can be life-threatening. This paper reports a case of accidental ingestion of an airwater syringe tip during routine dental treatment for which endoscopic retrieval was required. The present case highlights the need for dental professionals to be aware of the fact that dental equipment comprising multiple components may be associated with a risk of accidental detachment of a component and its ingestion or aspiration by a patient receiving treatment. (J Oral Sci 56, 235-238, 2014) Keywords: accidental ingestion; foreign object; air-water syringe tip; dental treatment; dental instrument. IntroductionDuring dental practice, accidents and untoward events can occasionally occur. One such event is accidental ingestion or aspiration of dental prostheses, instruments, or their components by the patient during treatment. Previous retrospective studies have indicated that the incidence of such events is 0.004%, ingestion being the more common (1,2). In the majority of cases accidental ingestion of a dental prosthesis/instrument is not clinically problematic, and most foreign objects pass through the gastrointestinal tract within a few days or weeks (1). However, such incidents carry a number of risks, and can even have a fatal outcome if not identified and managed promptly. Complications that have been reported after accidental ingestion of a foreign object include intestinal obstruction, perforation with subsequent abscess formation, hemorrhage, fistulas, or failure of the objects to progress through the gastrointestinal tract (3,4). Gastric erosion and perforation of the esophagus caused by ingestion of dental foreign objects have also been reported (5). Early diagnosis and appropriate management play a key role for successful treatment of these cases.The present article describes a clinical case of accidental ingestion of the tip of an air-water syringe when it became detached during dental treatment, with the aim of drawing attention to the potentially serious consequences of such accidents. Case ReportA 37-year-old female patient presented for routine preparation of a lower second molar for inlay restoration at the postgraduate clinic of the Operative Department of the Aristotle University Dental School. Inferior dental block anesthesia was performed and preparation of the cavity was started. However, during drying of the tooth, the

Ingestion and aspiration of foreign bodies in dental practice

“…1,10 Pilnej interwencji wymaga również połknięcie dużego przedmiotu, którego pasaż przez cały przewód pokarmowy jest niemożliwy. 11,12 Należy pamiętać, że opisywane komplikacje nie występują jedynie podczas wizyty w gabinecie dentystycznym, ale także w dowolnym czasie, nawet po wielu latach od zaistnienia takiej sytuacji połknięcia ciała obcego przez pacjenta. Odcementowanie uzupełnień protetycznych, m.in.…”

“…1,10 The ingestion of large object, whose passage through the entire digestive tract is impossible, also requires urgent intervention. 11,12 It should be remembered that the complications described above may not occur only during a visit to the dentist's office, but also at any time, even after many years from the occurrence of such a situation like ingestion by the patient. Debonding of prosthetic restorations, including posts is the most frequently reported complication that the patient potentially should be informed about.…”

Accidental ingestion and aspiration of foreign objects during dental practice

“…It has also been reported that inter-occlusal devices used for the restoration of occlusion, [7] air-water syringe tips, [8] endodontic instruments including dental clamps, [9] hand files or reamers, [10] hypodermic needles, [11] apex locator lip clips, [12] orthodontic brackets and/appliances, [13] and implant components [14] have been aspirated.…”