New Study Points to Pleural Mesothelioma Risk in Dentists from Asbestos Lining Tape, According to Surviving Mesothelioma
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) March 03, 2017 -- The authors of a new report on asbestos-containing dental tape say there have been at least six cases of mesothelioma in dentists because of it. Surviving Mesothelioma has just posted an article on the report. Click here to read it now.
Drs. Steven Markowitz of Queens College in New York and Jacqueline Moline of Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine say asbestos was used for decades to make the tape that lines dental casting rings.
“We report six cases of pathology-verified malignant mesothelioma, mostly among dentists, following exposure to airborne dust from asbestos dental tape, which resulted in asbestos tort litigation,” write the authors.
The report in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine says chrysotile or “blue” asbestos was used to help make the dental tape resistant to heat during the making of dental prosthetics.
“This is just another example of a little-known use for asbestos that could lead to pleural mesothelioma in people who were exposed,” says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving Mesothelioma. “Unfortunately, asbestos was used in many products in the first half of the 20th century, from insulation to paint, brake pads, firefighter’s gear, and even Christmas decor, so many people were exposed without even knowing it.”
Markowitz and Moline say the message of their new report is that doctors should gather a comprehensive exposure history in anyone suspected of having malignant mesothelioma.
To read more about asbestos in dental tape and other places where the mineral was once found, see The Hidden Mesothelioma Risk for Dentists, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.
Markowitz, SD and Moline, JM, “Malignant mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in dental tape”, February 28, 2017, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Epub ahead of print, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28244608
For more than a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions.
Michael Ellis, Cancer Monthy, http://www.survivingmesothelioma.com, +1 (919) 570-8595, [email protected]
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