Chemical Occupational Hazards in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review

Authors

  • Nitika Naryal H.P. Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
  • Vinay Bhardwaj H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla
  • Shailee Fotedar H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla
  • Arun Singh Thakur H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla
  • Shelja Vashisth H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla
  • Atul Sankhyan H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37506/ak2vc897

Keywords:

Chemical hazard, dentistry, occupational risk

Abstract

Dentists are exposed to various types of chemicals while providing care that are hazardous. There are many potentially toxic materials that are used in dentistry that can pose a serious health hazard in the absence of appropriate precautionary measures. These include hazardous chemical agents used in clinical dentistry including Mercury, powdered natural rubber latex (NRL), disinfectants, methyl methacrylate, metal alloys, silica, and nitrous oxide (N2O). Exposure to these chemicals can result in acute and chronic health effects. Acute effects include skin and eye irritation, respiratory distress, and allergic reactions, while chronic exposure can lead to more serious conditions such as asthma, neurological disorders, and even cancer. This review article aims to identify and categorize the common chemicals used in dental practices and their associated health hazards and to provide safety guidelines and best practices for minimizing exposure to hazardous chemicals in dental settings.

Author Biographies

  • Nitika Naryal, H.P. Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

    MDS 2nd Year, Post-graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

  • Vinay Bhardwaj, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

    MDS, Professor & Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

  • Shailee Fotedar, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

    MDS, Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

  • Arun Singh Thakur, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

    MDS, Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

  • Shelja Vashisth, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

    Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

  • Atul Sankhyan, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

    MDS, Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, H.P. Government Dental College & Hospital, Shimla

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Published

2025-03-11

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2025): Indian Journal of Public Health and Research Development

Section

Review Article

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Nitika Naryal, Vinay Bhardwaj, Shailee Fotedar, Arun Singh Thakur, Shelja Vashisth, Atul Sankhyan

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Chemical Occupational Hazards in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review. (2025). Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, 16(2), 12-19. https://doi.org/10.37506/ak2vc897