Document MJB07E7p6ZaJb9BaMzL6GpOD7

FILE NAME: Dental Asbestos (DEN) DATE: 1976 Apr DOC#: DEN101 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Journal Article - Hazards of Asbestos in Dentistry Hazards of asbestos in dentistry Council on Dental Therapeutics Council On DentaJ Materials and Devices .mim......in .1. n1|il 'i * * , ,* * . i Asbestos is chiefly used in dentistry as a binder large amounts are being prepared in poorly ven i in periodontal dressings and as a lining material tilated areas and when the powder is shaken for casting rings and crucibles. Asbestos is a prior to mixing.l3'1* Also, exposure to airborne generic term for a number of hydrated silicate fibers may occur in dental laboratories where minerals which, under crushing or other pro asbestos is used to line casting rings or crucibles cessing procedures, separate into flexible fibers. for casting machines and in general is kept in the There are many such minerals, including chrys- laboratory in large rolls. Here, the danger lies otilc, asmosite, crocidofite, anthophyllhe, tre- in the tendency for personnel to carelessly cm molite, and actinolite. Most asbestos is classi sections off these rolls and thus release asbestos fied as chrysotile and it appears to be the most into the ambient air. The maximum permissible hazardous fiber in the group. exposure of an employee to airborne concen It bas been documented that airborne asbes trations of asbestos fibers over an eight-hour, tos is .related causally to the development of pul time-weighted average has been established as monary asbestosis and fibrosis,1'1lung cancer/- five fibers (longer than 5^m) per cubic centi and pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas.7'8 meter of air.ft On July 1, 1976, the maximum will Recent epidemiologic studies also have Indicat be reduced to two such fibers per cubic centi ed that the chance of lung cancer developing m meter of air. This is of importance to the dentist smokers exposed to airborne asbestos is greater operating his own laboratory as well as to the than it is in nonsmokers.li'u employees in commercial dental laboratories. The potential danger to dental personnel in To prevent release of fibers into the air, asbestos preparation of asbestos-containing periodontal should be handled, applied, removed, cut, or packs is of sufficient concern that the Council otherwise.worked in a wet state to reduce the on Dental Therapeutics will no longer consider emission o f airborne asbestos. Personnel should ' such products as eligible for its Acceptance Pro be aware that soaking of asbestos liners in water gram. Airborne asbestos may become hazard*- releases fibers into the community sewage line 4 ous during the mixing of these asbestos-con taining periodontal dressings, particularly when and, therefore, suitable trapping of such wastes is recommended. REPORT3 OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS I JADA, Vol. 92, April 1976 > 777 / Kerr 0000051 There is no apparent health danger from in halation to patients for whom asbestos-contain ing periodontal dressings are used, since the fi bers cannot be appreciably released from the dressings once they are mixed and applied. In . addition, present information Indicates that there is little danger to patients should the dressings be" accidentally swallowed. According to the Food ' * and Drug Administration, "evidence concerning the possible hazard from ingestion of asbestos , particles is contradicting and inconclusive.''16 There is, however, evidence that paresterai administration of asbestos in animals can result in local malignancies, malignant mesothelioma, and dissemination of fibers in lymph nodes, spleen, kidneys, and brain.17' 19 Therefore, the Council on Dental Therapeutics is concerned about the asbestos concentration of filters used for preparing drugs that may be injected paren terally by dentists. Such filters may release as bestos particles into the solution and thus be in jected into the patient. The Food and Drug Ad ministration is surveying the industry for infor mation concerning the use of such filters. 1. Cooke. W.E, Fibrosis 0lungs due to the inhalation of asbes tos dust. Br Med J 2 :1 4 7 July 28. 1924. 2. Coono. VV.fi. Pulmonary asbesiosls. Br Med J 2:102- Dee 3. 1927. . 3. McDonald. 3. Histology of pulmonary asbestosis. Br Mad J 2:1026 Dec 3.1827. 4. Doll, H, Mortality from lung cancer in asbestos workers. Br J Industr Med 12:51 April 195S. . 5. Cordova. J.F.; T-esluk, M,; and Kiuidtspn. K.P. Asbestosis and carcinoma o< the lung. Cancer 1 5 :n s i Nov-Dee 1962, 6. SeJlkoff, I.J.; Churg, j . ; and Hammond. E.C. Asbestos expo sure and neoplasia. JAMA 136:22 April 6.1354. 7. Hammond. S.C.; Seirkoff, IJ.: and Churg, J. Neoplasia among insulation workers in the United Stales with special ref erence io iniraabdominai neoplasia. Ann NY Acaa Sci 132:515 Dec 3 1 .196S. 9 Licbsn, J,, and Pistawka. H. Mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. Aren Environ Health 14:559 April 19$?, 9. Owen, W.G. Mesoiheiiel-tumors and exposure to asbestos dust- Ann NY Acad sci 132 57 Dec 3 i, 1935. 10. Warnock, M.l_, and Churg, A.M. Association o( asbestos arid bronchogenic carcinoma In a population with tow asbestos exposure. Cancer 35:1236 April 197S. 11. Berry. G.; Newhouse, M.L.; and Torek. M. Combined affect of asbestos exposure and smoking on mortality from lung cancer in faoiory workera. Lancet 2:478 Sept 2, 1972. 12. SellkOff, 1.J,- Hammond, E.C.; and Churg, J, Asbestos expo sure, smoldng and neoplasia. JAMA 204:105 April 1968. 13. Oharson. E.J., and Arra, M.C. Pofantiaf hazards of asbestos ih periodontal pact. J Wis Dent A s c '60:435 Nov 1974. 1. Dyer. M.R. The possible adverse effects of as&estOS in glnglvectomy packs- Br Dent J 122:507 June S, 1567, 15. Federal Register 39:23643 June 27.1974. 16. Federal Register 38:2707$ Sept 26, 1973. 1?. Harington, J S ., and Roe. F.J. Studies cf carcinogenesis of asbestos fibers and tnalf natural fibers, Ann NYAcrid Sci 132: '439,1965. IS. Roe. F.J,, and others- The pathological affects o! subcu taneous injections of asbestos fibres in mice; mlgrallori 01 fibres to submesothalial tissues ana induction of mssolhefiomata. Ini J Cancer 2:625 Nov 1$.1967, 19. Kanazawa, K.. and aiders. Migration of asbestos fibres from subcutaneous injection sites in mica. Br J Cancer 24:96 March 1970. 778 REPORTS OF COUNCILS AND BUREAUS /JaOA. Vol. 32. April 1976 Kerr 0000052 ;