According to OSHA, it is estimated that 8-12 percent of health care workers are latex sensitive with reactions ranging from irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact sensitivity, to immediate, possibly life-threatening, sensitivity. As the price of non-latex gloves and other latex free dental products (e.g. rubber dams) have decreased, there seems to be a trend in dental offices to move towards "low latex" or "latex free environments". Dental health care personnel who are allergic to latex will need to take precautions at work and outside the workplace since latex is used in a variety of other common products in addition to gloves. For additional information see: CDC site on Frequently Asked Questions on Contact Dermatitis and Latex Allergy: http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faq/latex.htm#7. In addition, please feel free to contact us (email: blog@dyanamicdentalsafety.com Phone: (888) 669-8846 x701) for additional reference materials.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Latex Allergies
According to OSHA, it is estimated that 8-12 percent of health care workers are latex sensitive with reactions ranging from irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact sensitivity, to immediate, possibly life-threatening, sensitivity. As the price of non-latex gloves and other latex free dental products (e.g. rubber dams) have decreased, there seems to be a trend in dental offices to move towards "low latex" or "latex free environments". Dental health care personnel who are allergic to latex will need to take precautions at work and outside the workplace since latex is used in a variety of other common products in addition to gloves. For additional information see: CDC site on Frequently Asked Questions on Contact Dermatitis and Latex Allergy: http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faq/latex.htm#7. In addition, please feel free to contact us (email: blog@dyanamicdentalsafety.com Phone: (888) 669-8846 x701) for additional reference materials.
