DESCRIPTION OF PERSONS WITH SYMPTOMS PRESUMED TO BE CAUSED BY ELECTRICITY OR VISUAL-DISPLAY UNITS - ORAL ASPECTS

A questionnaire containing 20 questions was sent to 1?7 members of the Association for Those Injured by Electricity and Visual Display Units in northern Sweden, of whom 103 (81%) answered. The questionnaire con sisted of questions about age, sex, and place of work! Furthermore, th e members were asked to state: 1) their general and oral symptoms; 2) whether they thought that dental amalgam and other types of dental fil ling materials had affected their symptoms; 3) whether they were repla cing or had replaced their amalgam fillings and, if so, what effect it had had on their symptoms; 4) whether they had been medically examine d; and 5) whether they were pr had been sick-listed for their complain ts. Of those who answered the questionnaire, 79% were women (mean age 45 yr) and 21% men (mean age 42 yr), Sixty percent worked in offices. In 82%, the symptoms had started at work. The mean duration of the sym ptoms was 5.2 yr. The symptoms were aggravated mostly in ''electric en vironment in general'' and in ''office with computers''. Skin complain ts, fatigue, and eye symptoms were the most common general symptoms. S ixty-five percent mentioned-that they had oral symptoms. Gustatory dis turbances, burning mouth, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunctio n were the most common oral symptoms. Fifty-six percent considered tha t dental amalgam and 24% that other dental materials affected the symp toms. Twenty-one percent were in the process of replacing the amalgam fillings; 40% had already done so. After replacement, 37% had noticed a decrease of symptoms. Most had been medically examined for their com plaints, and 81% had been sick-listed. Forty-two percent had received ''alternative care'. Finally, a treatment protocol for the examination and treatment of patients with symptoms caused by electricity or visu al display units (VDUs) is recommended.