Permeability of protective gloves to (di)methacrylates in resinous dental materials

Dentists may develop contact allergy induced by handling resinous dental materials, and vinyl and latex gloves may provide protection against the monomers of these materials only during the time it takes for a monomer to permeate the glove. The passage times and rates of penetration of four commonly used (di)methacrylates--HEMA, TEGDMA, BISGMA, and UEDMA--for 11 protective gloves were measured. The passage time for HEMA and TEGDMA through vinyl gloves was 1-3 min, and around 20 min for BISGMA and UEDMA. The rate of penetration of HEMA and TEGDMA in vinyl gloves was 0.5-4.5 mumol.min-1.cm-2. The passage time of HEMA and TEGDMA through most of the latex or the modified latex gloves was 5-8 min and the rate of penetration 0.5-3.1 mumol.min-1.cm-2. Latex or modified latex gloves provide a protection against BISGMA and UEDMA for 80 min or more with one exception (Elastyrene), which burst after about 50 min in contact with the resins. Of the tested gloves Ansell, Neutralon, Mediglove, and Biogel D provide protection against HEMA and TEGDMA for at least 5 min.