You'd think being a dentist is a safe occupation because you're working in healthcare. But, being a dentist exposes you to dangerous infections and injuries from sharp instruments and drills. Here are the health and safety hazards of being a dentist:
Infections
You might think as a dentist, you wouldn't be as vulnerable to infections like nurses and doctors in a hospital. However, when working closely to any patient, you're still exposed to potentially harmful infections. There are many health hazards of being a dentist.
To keep safe at work and to avoid spreading any contamination, it's important to regularly wash your hands, wear gloves and wear your mask during inspections. When doing any minor invasive procedures always remember to wear glasses to protect your eyes.
Musculoskeletal injuries
Standing for long hours at a time can put you at risk of developing serious musculoskeletal injuries. As a dentist, you're regularly standing over patients and leaning over whilst you're working. Bending your back continuously can make you vulnerable to developing serious chronic back pain or a stooped spine.
To help avoid over-straining your back, it's important to regularly change how you work. Change your position. As you have control on the lowering of your patient's chair, it's manageable for you to work sitting and standing. By swapping between standing and sitting, you can help avoid putting too much stress on your spine.
Radiation
Dentists are regularly responsible for carrying out X-rays to inspect the health of their patients' teeth. However, exposure to X-ray radiation is a health risk, the strength of the rays has the potential to damage healthy cells.
This is why it's important to follow health and safety procedures when doing X-rays. Depending on the rules of your dental surgery, dentists can wear lead aprons or may be required to perform the X-ray from another room. As you're expected to perform X-rays on a regular basis, you need to make sure you follow the rules every time to limit exposure.
Cuts from dental instruments
Being injured from the dental instruments you use, it's probably a rarity but accidents commonly happen when you or colleagues are negligent. When you're handling the same tools everyday, it's easy to become complacent and forget they're sharp. Remember, most of your dental instruments are used to cut into mouth gums and they can easily cut into your hands too.
Be careful when handling all equipment. If you regularly get different dental nurses assisting you, then take the time to quickly go through how you want any tools passed to you. At times, you'll be focusing on your patient and it's hard to also concentrate on the person who is assisting you, they need to be reliable and pass tools and instruments safely.
Slips, trips and falls
While dental offices and hospitals are regularly cleaned and have high health and safety standards, it's almost impossible to completely erase the possibility of slips, trips and falls. As a dentist, you're focusing on your patient and their needs so at times, you won't see potential hazards around you.
Slips, trips and falls can be avoided by wearing appropriate footwear for work. Healthcare shoes are specially designed for healthcare professionals. At Shoes For Crews (Europe) Ltd, our healthcare shoes are ideal for dentists because they offer strong support and comfortable insoles, along with effective slip-resistant grip. The types of shoes doctors wear for work.
Slip-resistant shoes for dentists
There are many health hazards dentists face on a regular basis but wearing appropriate footwear helps to reduce damage to your spine and defend from slipping or fall at work.
Visit our shop to see our selection of slip-resistant shoes for dentists.