Musculoskeletal symptoms among dental personnel; lack of association with mercury and selenium status, overweight and smoking

Our objective was to describe the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms an d how they affect the daily life of three different occupational groups of dental personnel. A cross sectional-study was performed among 268 dental st aff members and 111 referents. Female dental hygienists and female dentists showed, compared with their re ferents, higher prevalence of symptoms during the past 12 months from neck, shoulders and hands/wrists. Both dental groups also had higher frequencies of combined symptoms from these body regions, as well as longer duration o f symptoms in neck and shoulders during the past 12-month period. Male dent ists had higher frequencies of neck and shoulder symptoms compared with the ir referents. Female dental assistants did not deviate from their referents . The symptoms from each single body region, or the occurrence of symptoms fr om multiple regions in a subject, did not show any statistically significan t association with mercury (whole blood and urinary levels) or selenium (pl asma level) status, neither with smoking habits nor overweight (Body Mass I ndex). The high frequency of musculoskeletal disorders probably reflects the speci fic work load in dentistry with high demands on vision and precision and fi ne manipulative hand movements and work with unsupported, elevated arms. Th e symptoms might impair work capacity and the future possibility to stay in the profession. Further studies are needed to verify this.