Mercury and other biomedical waste management practices among dental practitioners in India.
Biomed Res Int
; 2014: 272750, 2014.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25162005
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The objective of the study was to assess the awareness and performance towards dental waste including mercury management policy and practices among the dental practitioners in North India. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
An epidemiologic survey was conducted among 200 private dental practitioners. The survey form was composed of 29 self-administered questions frame based on knowledge, attitude, and those regarding the practices of dentists in relation to dental health-care waste management. The resulting data were coded and a statistical analysis was done. RESULTS ANDDISCUSSION:
About 63.7% of the dentists were not aware of the different categories of biomedical waste generated in their clinics. Only 31.9% of the dentists correctly said that outdated and contaminated drugs come under cytotoxic waste. 46.2% said they break the needle and dispose of it and only 21.9% use needle burner to destroy it. 45.0% of the dentists dispose of the developer and fixer solutions by letting them into the sewer, 49.4% of them dilute the solutions and let them into sewer and only 5.6% return them to the supplier. About 40.6% of the dentists dispose of excess silver amalgam by throwing it into common bin.CONCLUSION:
It was concluded that not all dentists were aware of the risks they were exposed to and only half of them observe infection control practices.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Attitude of Health Personnel
/
Dental Waste
/
Waste Management
/
Mercury
Type of study:
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Biomed Res Int
Year:
2014
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
India