CAMBRIDGE: Researchers at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) recently found the correlation between environmental health and oral health through the lens of health equity. The team believed that dentistry has a profound impact on our planet’s environmental health, which, in turn, affects oral health. Therefore, it was crucial to correctly manage dental waste.
The team, led by Dr. Donna Hackley, an instructor in oral health policy and epidemiology at HSDM, found that a surprising source of the pollution that compromises food, water and air quality is the international dental community. In a recent summary of their research, the team cited plastic, mercury, lead and silver waste among the most common pollutants produced by the dental industry. “These pollutants threaten the health of organisms and humans, especially the developing young, as well as the stability of various economies,” Hackley said.
According to the researchers, plastic waste was a particularly common type of dental waste. For example, toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and toothpaste were frequently used dental products that were typically made of or contain plastic and were difficult to recycle.
“Globally, 23 billion toothbrushes and their wrappings are discarded every year, and in the U.S. alone, the number of discarded toothbrushes is enough to circle the earth four times,” the team reported. “Toothpaste tubes are also not recyclable, as they typically contain an interior layer of aluminum. Toothpaste itself contains harmful plastic microbeads, and 8 trillion microbeads are released into aquatic environments daily from the U.S., enough to cover over 300 tennis courts.”
Mercury, lead and silver also posed a threat to our ever-changing environment. According to Hackley, patient chairs could generate up to 4.5 g of mercury daily and this might pose a serious threat if the mercury was improperly disposed of. Additionally, products consisting of silver and lead were found in radiographic materials, including films and developer solutions, and were of particular concern in countries that could not properly manage dental waste disposal.
To tackle waste in dentistry, Hackley and her team were encouraging dental offices to estimate the total amount of domestic and medical waste they produced and to determine ways to reduce it. As new, environmentally friendly products became available, Hackley hoped that dental offices will found alternatives to common plastic products.
“The international dental community must commit to preventing and reducing dental waste. Any adverse environmental impact resulting from our professional activities disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations globally. This is about equity. Thoughtful waste management is no longer just a nice idea, but a moral and ethical imperative to protect the environment and every organism living in it,” Hackley concluded.
A preliminary waste audit conducted by students from the university revealed that primary sources of waste in the preclinical laboratory include gloves, disposable gowns, masks, paper and paper towels.
-Courtesy by: Dental Tribune International
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
