2010 Archives

Effects from exposure to dental amalgam on systemic mercury levels in patients and dental school students

Results: A statistically significant difference was found among dependent groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.0038), whereas mercury levels increased considerably after the first occupational contact of all subjects. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to dental amalgam poses a potential risk of increasing systemic mercury levels, although urine mercury levels in all the sample participants were below the limits of biologic tolerance.

Blood mercury level and its determinants among dental practitioners in Hamadan, Iran

The mean blood concentration of mercury was 6.3 μg/l (SD=1.31 range 4.15–8.93). BML was positively associated with age, years in practice, working hours per day, number of amalgam restorations per day, number of amalgam removal per week, sea food consumption, working years in present office, using amalgam powder, using diamond bur for amalgam removal, dry sterilization of amalgam contaminated instruments, and deficient air ventilation.