FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SKIN IRRITATION OF THE HANDS EXPERIENCED BY GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS

Practising dental surgeons are now wearing gloves for longer periods o f time than any other comparable group. As part of a study to assess d entists' attitudes to cross-infection, a questionnaire was sent to 195 0 randomly selected general dental practitioners in England and Wales, with information being requested concerning the incidence of skin irr itation of the hands considered to be associated with glove wearing. T he response to the questionnaire was 61%, with 29% of respondents indi cating that they had experienced skin irriation. A strong association was identified between pattern of glove wearing and incidence of skin irritation, with routine glove wearers being more likely to suffer ski n irritation than occasional glove wearers. Female respondents were al so more likely to have experienced skin irritation than male responden ts. No association was identified between reported incidence of skin i rritation and practising arrangements, years since graduation and numb er of years of glove wearing.