Asbestos in Your Mouth?! Believe it or Not, Dental Products Once Contained These Hazardous Fibers

Dental products containing asbestos

Asbestos was used in dental casting and dental tape.

Asbestos was traditionally used in iron wax casting, a process in which a mold is made so that a product can be shaped to resemble the mold. It is pliable, durable and has excellent adhesive properties, which is why, for centuries, asbestos was also used in clay pottery. In more modern times, iron wax casting using asbestos was found to be useful in jewelry making as well as in the development of many dental products.

In dentistry, this method of casting became popular in 1907 and was used to create corrective pieces such as crowns, bridges, and inlays. Chrysotile (white-colored asbestos), the same asbestos found atop those Byzantine murals, was used in the manufacturing of casting ring liner and periodontal dressing powder. This means, essentially, that patients who had corrective work done once upon a time are still swallowing small bits of harmful fibers.

Nowadays, safer alternatives are used in place of asbestos in dental work. Ceramic and absorbent papers are examples of viable substitutes. However, experts warn that consumers should avoid old, outdated dental casting products and tape. It is also important to be mindful of the fact that some overseas products that still contain asbestos are making their way into the U.S. despite regulatory efforts. This means consumers who regularly purchase products from other countries could be unintentionally putting themselves at risk for ingesting asbestos.

So, are Long-time Dentists Susceptible to Asbestos-related Health Conditions?

There has been some general concern that dentists who used products containing asbestos, such as dental lining tape, prior to the 1970s to cast crowns, bridges, removal dentures and other reparative devices may have have an increased risk of developing life-threatening health problems. In general, dentistry is listed as a high-risk occupation when it comes to asbestos exposure. There is mixed data on the matter to date, but some dentists have reported developing asbestos-related conditions. A form of mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, has been the most commonly reported illness.

To Sum It All Up

Many dental products manufactured between 1930 and 1970 contained asbestos, and while companies have now reinvented their product lines to contain safer alternatives, those previously exposed are still at risk of certain respiratory diseases and types of cancer. Moreover, a quick online search will yield results of old, asbestos-containing items still available secondhand. Anyone who has these products should call a professional to properly dispose of them. Dentists and dental patients who have developed asbestos-related conditions might be able to take advantage of federal funding to supplement their healthcare costs.