Potential occupational health problems for dentists in Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

The aim of this study was to gather data on occupational health effects among Flemish dentists. A questionnaire on various potential health effects was sent out to randomly selected Flemish dentists. Pilot experimental studies were performed on hearing and sensory function of the fingers on small groups of dentists. Audiometric data of both ears, gathered with an interval of 10 years, were analysed. Sensory tests of the fingers were performed for dominant and non-dominant hands in relation to exposure time to (ultra)sonic equipment. Positive responses for the questionnaire were as follows: low back pain, 54% (stress-correlated); vision problems, 52.3% (age-correlated); infections, 9%; allergies, 22.5% (mainly latex); stress level was scored 7 on a scale from 0 to 10; diminished sensitivity of the fingertips, 6% and auditory disorders, 19.6%. Pilot audiometric data showed a hearing loss at 4,000 Hz for the left ear, presumably indicative of occupational noise trauma. The two-point discrimination ability of the dominant hand tended to diminish in line with the number of years of practice. Dentists in Flanders were found to suffer from various health-related problems. More elaborate studies are required to provide more details on the risks for occupational hearing impairment and vibration hand neuropathy and to determine whether the problems described were related to the practice of dentistry.

Self-Reported Occupational Health Issues among Lithuanian Dentists

“…Furthermore, very aggressive chemicals were being imported during the transition period, which contributed to the high allergy occurrence. A high prevalence of allergy among dental professionals has also been reported in the USA, Australia and Belgium [27][28][29] where it was found in more than one-quarter of dental and medical personnel 10) . The rates of angina pectoris, heart insufficiency, diabetes mellitus and oncological diseases among dentists were similar to that of the general population 24) .…”

Occupational Health Problems in Modern Dentistry: A Review

“…Mild neuropathy among dental personnel has been shown to be associated with exposure to high frequency vibrations from dental equipment 100) , particularly low and high speed hand pieces and ultrasonic scalers. This condition was previously shown to manifest as diminished sensitivity of the fingertips in a study of Flemish dentists 5) . The development of more vibration resistant equipment might help overcome this problem, although reducing vibration levels is not a panacea in itself, as it may adversely affect tactile feedback from dental hand tools.…”

“…An earlier survey from Norway for example, found that public health dentists reported occupational health complaints such as dermatoses (40%), eye, respiratory and systemic complaints (13%), and musculoskeletal problems (3%) 4) . In Belgium, an investigation of Flemish dentists revealed a similar spectrum of problems but of different frequency, including low back pain (54%), vision problems (52%), allergies (23%), auditory disorders (20%), infections (9%), and diminished sensitivity at the fingertips (6%) 5) . Glove dermatitis and latex allergy were reported at 22% and 9% respectively, in dental personnel at a major dental school in Sydney, Australia 6) .…”

Arbeidsgebonden gezondheidsrisico’s voor tandartsassistenten in Vlaanderen

“…De vragenlijst werd ontwikkeld aan de hand van 4 reeds bestaande vragenlijsten (Bouard et al, 2003;Schach et al, 2003;Chartier en Joron, 2006;Gijbels et al, 2006 …”

“…In een Amerikaans onderzoek bij tandartsen, tandartsassistenten en mondhygiënisten bleek 11% van de ondervraagden aan het carpaletunnelsyndroom te lijden en 53% aan schouder-en rugpijn (Rice et al, 1996). Gijbels et al (2006) meldden een gemiddelde stressscore van 7 op een schaal van 0 tot 10 bij tandartsen in Vlaanderen. Tandartsassistenten in dit onderzoek behaalden echter een lagere gemiddelde stressscore, namelijk 3,95.…”