SELF-REPORTED OCCUPATIONAL DERMATOLOGICAL REACTIONS AMONG DANISH DENTISTS

The aims of the study were to investigate the causes and prevalences o f occupational dermatological reactions among Danish dentists. Questio nnaires and telephone interviews with Danish dentists revealed that 37 .8% reported skin reactions. In 27.2% of the cases the reactions were related to occupation, occurring with a point prevalence of 9.6%, and with a 1-yr period prevalence of 21.4%. The main causes were hand wash ing/soaps, latex gloves and (di)methacrylate-containing materials occu rring at point prevalences of 7.1%, 1.3% and 1.7%, respectively. In ad dition, several other causes were reported, each occurring at relative ly low frequency. Diagnosed allergic latex eczema was reported by 0.6% , but the frequency might be more than 2%, estimated on basis of repor ted symptoms. Allergic eczema caused by (di)methacrylate-containing ma terials was diagnosed among 0.7%, but estimated by the description of symptoms to be nearly 2%. The results urge for developing safer materi als for dental use.