Toxicology: the blind spot

Abstract

Brief Background: On the 30th anniversary of Bhopal Gas Tragedy, we did a search to find out whether there is a subject called Dental Toxicology that is taught in Dental colleges. The result was there was no college in India which taught toxicology as subject or associated with Oral Medicine. The Bhopal gas tragedy is one of the worst chemical disasters where Methyl Isocyanide (MIC) had lethal short term consequences and serious long term toxicity, genetic instability, probable carcinogenicity, high degree of reproductive effects and teratogenicity. Any tragedy of this magnitude should have made any country sit up and take a vow to prevent any future such incidence in the industry.Discussion: In the field of dentistry normally many potential toxic chemicals are used often on the patients in prosthesis and tooth restoration. These include substances such as Amalgam, triclosan (proven carcinogen), methyl methacrylate, MERCURY, fluoride, polychlorinated biphenyls, BPA ,epoxy resins, composites, implants, artificial crowns etc., which may be toxic to human health, which may cause genetic mutations and even carcinogenic.Both FDI (Federation Dentaire Internationale) and IAOMT (International Association of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) in 2013 positively support dentistry free of mercury to begin with, by either reducing mercury in a phased manner or totally Mercury Free Dentistry. Summary and Conclusion: The key areas are: Including the subject of TOXICOLOGY and mechanisms of toxicity not only in medical education but also in dentistry and anything connected to health sciences as a separate subject. This did not happen even after 30 years. With this paper we would like to highlight the potential toxic chemicals, alternative to such chemicals, Identification and how to avoid such toxicity in dentistry.Did Bhopal Tragedy wake us up as a country or is India in deep SLUMBER??