Oral manifestations in occupational mercury poisoning

Industrijsko zubarstvo kao ogranak industrijske medicine sprečava, dijagnosticira i liječi sve one promjene, koje mogu nastali u području usne šupljine u vezi s radnim uvjetima čovjeka. Da bi stomatolog mogao uspješno surađivati s liječnikom za profesionalna oboljenja potrebno je da dobro poznaje toksične osobine pojedinih materijala, s kojima ljudi dolaze u dodir prilikom rada. kao i sve promjene, koje mogu naslati u području usne šupljine zbog profesionalnih otrovanja. Za sprečavanje profesionalnih oboljenja ima ustanovljenje ranih simptoma otrovanja osobitu važnost. Autor iznosi rezultate svojih opažanja oralnih simptoma kod otrovanja živom u nekim našim industrijama i preporučuje da se tim simptomima ubrati naročita pažnja u Loku periodičkih kontrolnih pregleda.The author discusses his observations of the oral symptoms found in workers in the mercury mine and the smelting plant of ldria. Owing to the high temperature (22-23° C), the small velocity of air movement and rather high concentrations of mercury (2.00 mg/m3 to 5.90 mg/m3) in the fits of native mercury is won. The number of incidents of subacute intoxications with mercury vapours was high (Table 1). In the smelting plant where mercury hazards exist for some workers only (cleaning of condensations pipes and of the chimney, filling of steel bottles) less oral symptoms of subacute poisoning was found (Table 2). In a felt hat factory at Škofja Loka, where mercury compounds are still in use, the author found signs of chronic intoxication, of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and the gum. These findings went together with symptoms of chronic disturbances in the central nervous system (Table 3). The oral hygiene of the examined persons was found to be poor and nowhere satisfying (Table 1. 2, 3). As good oral hygiene and healthy condition of teeth play an important part in prevention of oral manifestations and edentulous persons did not show any signs of gingivitis, great responsibility rests on the dental profession and the importance of industrial dentistry is pointed out. Because of the facts (1) that the oral cavity presents the main entrance for many toxic agents, (2) that it shows initial symptoms of some intoxications and (3) that it is easily accessible, the purpose of a fruitful collaboration between the dentist and the industrial physician is the periodic examination of the oral cavity of workers exposed to occupational oral hazard