What does one do when they are made to choose between their health and their livelihood? Although the obvious choice is health, we know the choice is not as easy as it looks. Dentists all over the world are now facing such a quandary, having to choose between their health and their profession. It turns out that more and more dentists are dying of a mysterious lung ailment, known only as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis or IPF.

In the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) found that dentists were 23 times more likely to suffer from IPF, a progressive, chronic lung disorder that causes irreversible lung damage. According to the report, among the 894 patients treated for IPF at Virgina speciality clinic in September, nine were dental personnel. Eight were dentists and one was a dental technician.

The report said that dentists formed 0.038 percent of the US population, a minority. Yet, they represented 0.893 percent (almost 1 percent) of the patients undergoing treatment for IPF. This shows that they are 23 times likelier than the regular population to suffer from this disease!

What could be the reasons?

The CDC is groping in the dark for answers, unable to understand why the disease has been affecting dentists in particular. Researchers think it could be a combination of factors.

Infectious agents

A 1998 study published in the New York State Dental Journal discussed the variety of infectious agents that can be transmitted to dentists and other professionals working for dental care. They are constantly exposed to HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and syphilis, because the first appearance of these disease occur in the oral cavity. Needles, sharp objects and blood splatter can also transmit infectious diseases from the patient to the doctor.

Chemicals

Dentists are also in close contact with poisonous and toxic substances such as anaesthetic gases and chemicals used in dental practices such as eugenol, which can cause lung damage when inhaled.

Airborne particulates

Dentists are at an increased risk of inhaling particulate matter, from either silica or cobalt-chromium-molybdenum-based dental prostheses.

Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation

Dentists also have to sometimes double as radiologists and operate X-ray machines in the dental office. This predisposes them to suffer from side effects of ionizing radiation. In the recent years, non-ionizing radiation like laser can also affect the eyes and other tissues of dental professionals.

Although these are some of the speculated causes, the CDC has not been able to conclusively tie IPF to a single cause.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2018 06:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).