Journal of Disability and Oral Health
- Cover Date:
- December 2012
- Print ISSN:
- 1470-855
- Vol:
- 13
- Issue:
- 4
Latex allergy and dentistry: a review
Doi: 10.4483/JDOH_011Locke12
Abstract The Exposure of health care workers to natural rubber latex has increased since the 1980s, primarily due to their use as protective barriers to the risk of transmission of blood borne viruses such as HIV. Since this increased glove use, sensitisation to latex has increased in dental and healthcare personnel and continues to be an important occupational hazard in the clinical setting. Natural rubber latex has the potential to cause asthma, dermatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma and more serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis in the dental workplace, providing a strong case for limiting exposure to products containing natural rubber allergens. This paper describes how a ‘latex-safe’ dental environment for primary, secondary and tertiary dental care situations can be created and controlled. It provides information as to how to manage a latex sensitive patient and also addresses the issue of whether or not latex gloves should be eliminated from dentistry.
Key words: Latex allergy, dentistry
- Article Price
- £15.00
- Institution Article Price
- £
- Page Start
- 147
- Page End
- 158
- Authors
- M Locke, L Longman
Articles from this issue
- Title
- Pg. Start
- Pg. End
- An audit of the dental assessment of head and neck cancer patients and evaluation of a multi-disciplinary clinic
- 139
- 146
- An assessment of a service-learning placement programme in residential aged care facilities for final year dental hygiene students
- 163
- 167