Green dentistry

ECO FRIENDLY DENTAL PRACTICE

1. Green dentistry Go green S N V Siva Dilip Chaitanya IV BDS Govt. Dental College & Hospital, Hyd.

2. contents Impact of dentistry on environment. What is Green Dentistry? Importance Steps to establish eco-friendly dental practice. Amalgam Conventional radiography. Digital radiography Chemicals. Digital impressions. Designing dental office Waste management/

3. In the last century, the earth has warmed by 1% ,which has a significant harmful effect on the earth’s climate. Global temperatures are continuing to rise, making 2016 the hottest year on the historical record and the third consecutive record-breaking year.

4. Impact of dentistry on environment Directly or indirectly every human being is responsible for environmental pollution and dentistry is not an exception. Though individual dentists generate only small amounts of environment unfriendly waste, the accumulated waste produced by the profession will have significant impact. Dentistry is responsible in contributing to pollution in many ways such as: Wastage of silver amalgam . Use of traditional x-ray methods. Usage of disposables during patient care. Office waste[energy ,water ,electric lamps ,paper ] Chemical sterilization. [use of toxic chemicals] Improper disposal of bio-hazardous waste.

5. What is green dentistry ?? Green dentistry is “A high-tech approach that reduces the environmental impact of dental practices and encompasses a service model for dentistry that supports and maintains wellness”.

6. Green dentistry attempts to reduce the industry’s detrimental impact on the environment and promote environmental awareness and sustainability to patients. Green dentistry helps to prevent any harmful chemicals or materials of dental offices from polluting the environment in turn causing “Global warming”. It is a vital step in maintaining a balanced environment. importance

7. Steps to establish eco-friendly dental practice Eco friendly dentistry uses a sustainable approach to encourage dentists to implement new strategies like introducing 4 R’s.

8. rethink Rethinking the way that dental offices are run is the initial step in trying to change the modern practice . We should accommodate green dentistry in our day to day life, and should adapt to natural life style.

9. reduce In order to save our planet and every one must reduce the consumption of resources given by the planet. By reducing the use of paper & disposable products we can save large number of trees and decrease Global warming . Motivating and educating the patients to turn off the water and reduce the wastage of water when they are brushing their teeth . Reducing electricity by turning off lights and other devices after using.

10. Reuse By reusing instead of trashing away, resources and energy necessary to manufacture new things are saved. Reusable operating room cotton towels instead of disposable plastic or paper patient bibs. Reusable stainless steel high and low volume surgical OR endodontic suction tips. Reusable glass irrigation syringes as a substitute for disposable plastic. Bio-degradable cups instead of regular paper cups .

11. recycle By recycling we can reduce the generation of waste being produced by making new products. Recycling products is a viable way to reduce overall contamination of the environment. Use a community’s existing recycling program to separately recycle the paper and plastic halves of dental office waste. Recycling the broken or non-usable instruments.

12. amalgam Mercury in amalgam is a neurotoxin. Using substitutes for amalgam. Mixing as much as required by using amalgam capsules. Minimize amalgam discharge Don’t dispose waste amalgam into garbage. Using amalgam separators. Collection of amalgam from the drain traps & screens.

13. Conventional Radiography Traditional radiography uses various chemicals and generates hazardous waste fixers and developer solutions, they shouldn’t be disposed in to drains. Because of high silver content ,fixer can be recycled. Waste developer solution should be recycled properly, as it contains toxins like hydroquinone. Lead foils should never be thrown in the regular garbage, because it is a leachable toxin ,it should be recycled properly.

14. Digital radiography Switching to digital radiography as it uses less energy than traditional methods. Since the patients are exposed to 90% less radiation with the use of digital imaging technology. This also eliminates the need for toxic x-ray chemicals. The new caries detection device helps to detect a range of carious lesions, such as occlusal , interproximal , recurrent, and cracks using Near-infrared transillumination technology with high levels of accuracy.

15. chemicals Instead of using chemicals for Disinfection & Sterilization eco-friendly products should be encouraged. Steam or dry heat may be used to sterilize dental instruments.

16. Digital impressions Dental digital impression systems capture intraoral scans of a patient’s teeth and gingival tissue to generate a 3D digital model that can be used for CAD/CAM dentistry In this method we can reduce environmental pollution as there is no usage of Gypsum products and Impression materials.

17. Go paperless Office waste is usually non-hazardous waste. Eg : Paper, card board , Aluminum, plastics etc. Paperless records to reduce paper consumption and waste by using computers and latest technology. Using chlorine free paper products.

18. Designing dental office Green dental office construction with linoleum flooring approved by LEED (leadership in energy and environmental design) developed by U.S green building council in 2000. Using ultra volatile organic compounds for paints. Installing energy efficient fluorescent lights in the clinic.. Construction of sink pits & Rain water harvesting plant for water conservation. Energy & Money can be saved by using solar panels for electricity. Fully equipped with energy conserving appliances ..

19. Digital patient charting ,scheduling and communication should be used. Live green plants in the operatory room ,increasing oxygenation Oil free compressors. Using LED operatory lights. Using eco-friendly hand sterilizers. Installing motion sensors to automatically turn off lights and faucets at sinks.

20. Waste management

21. challenges cost of initial equipment installation will be high. Difficulty in following 4 R’s. Customer awareness about green dentist. Marketing of green dental clinics.

22. conclusion Dentistry is a healing profession. Hence ,being a part of profession responsible for spreading smiles, It’s time we stop overlooking sustainability and make our dental practice eco-friendly: for a greener future.

23. references Lakshman P. Green dentistry‑pollution free, ecofriendly dentistry.IDRR 2010;5:36‑8. (Indian dentist research and review). What exactly is green dentistry? Available from: http://www.ecodentistry.org/ . Adams E. Eco-friendly dentistry : Not a matter of choice . J can dent assoc 2007;73:58 1-4 . Kinakh , V .(2015) supporting change for sustainability in dentistry. Visions for sustainability 4: 5-12. Belma muhamedagic , Lejla muhamedagic , Izet masic Faculty of medicine, University of Sarajevo,Dental office waste-Public health and ecological risk. Meteria socio media. Matei ruxandra , gabriela radu , andrei csep ; Considerations concerning ecological dentistry. Pockrass , F., & I., 2008, The fiurs ‘Rs’ of eco friendly dentistry . american dental hydienists association, 22(8), 18-21. Retrieved January 15, 2009.

24. Acknowledgements Dr.Prashanthi , SR, Dept. of PHD, GDC&H, Hyderabad.

25. Thank you..