Silicone sealers, acetic acid vapours and dental erosion: a work-related risk?

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the acetic acid released by some silicone sealers during the curing process poses an increased risk for dental erosion, thus constituting an occupational hazard to exposed individuals. The material comprised 13 individuals (x=30 years, 10 men and 3 women) who had been exposed to an average of 4.2 years' (range 0.6-10 years) of working with silicone. Each had comprehensive medical and dental examinations carried out. A sex- and aged-matched group of 20 healthy, unexposed workers from the same company served as controls for the medical examination, while study models from randomly selected sex- and age-matched individuals were used as controls for assessing the severity of erosion. Using a questionnaire, an assessment of the role of various possible factors related to oral and general health, and to dental erosion in particular, was made for each participant in the exposed group. Clinical examination included recordings of severity of dental erosion, presence of "cuppings", DMFT, salivary secretion rate and buffer capacity, visible plaque index and gingival bleeding index. In addition, bitewing radiographs, study casts and intraoral colour transparencies were obtained for each individual. The severity of dental erosion was significantly higher in those exposed to silicone compared to controls. There was also a significant correlation between the period of exposure to silicone in the workplace and severity of erosion. Medical problems, especially with regard to upper respiratory tract symptoms, were significantly more common among exposed individuals than controls. In conclusion, a relationship between occupational exposure to acetic acid vapours from silicone sealers and development of dental erosion would appear to exist.