Dental Toxicology: A Review

Toxicology deals with the study of chemicals that causes problems for living things in many ways. These chemicals can create a havoc in the human body by interfering with the biological functioning and biomechanisms. The chemicals that cause these problems can be found in various forms and dentistry is not far from the clutches of these toxic substances. In the field of dentistry there are many potential toxic chemicals used in the treatment aspect on the patients, especially in prosthesis and tooth restorations. These include many dental materials such as mercury etc. , which can cause toxic effects to human health including genetic mutations or become carcinogenic. The best way to describe a philosophy that can apply to all facets of dental practice and to health care in general is: Always seek the safest, least toxic way to accomplish the mission of treatment. These act as the primary goal of modern dentistry where there is a need to consider the biological aspect and prioritise it. By making distinctions and few changes among the available materials and procedures, we can reduce the impact on our patients biological responses and terrain. This paper reviews and highlights the causes and effects of potentially toxic materials used in field of dentistry and how to minimise exposure and the plausible repercussions and generating an awareness among the professionals.