It’s long been recognized that some occupations carry a higher risk than others for asbestos exposure and the diseases that develop as a result. Construction workers, carpenters, shipyard workers, factory workers and others have all been exposed in the past to asbestos on a regular basis — and some continue to face exposure today.
Dentists have now been added to the list, however — which may surprise many.
Dental tape was another source of asbestos exposure in the past
A 2017 study points to asbestos in dental lining tape as a source of disease. At least six cases of pleural mesothelioma, largely among dentists, harkening back to the dental lining tape that was used from the 1930s through the 1970s (possibly later).
The tape was used in the lost-wax method that dentists often use to make crowns, bridges and other dental prosthetics. Even though the exposure to the flying particles of asbestos that the tape released would have been intermittent and brief, it can still be deadly.
Once again, the dangers of unknown asbestos exposure are highlighted
The problem with asbestos use in the past is that it’s almost impossible to know how widely asbestos was used in all kinds of consumer products and manufacturing processes. Asbestos was once seen as the “cure-all” for all kinds of problems: Natural, cheap, and resistant to heat, it seemed like the perfect item for use in everything from glue to insulation.
If your loved one has developed mesothelioma, the odds are very high that long-ago asbestos exposure has played a role in their sickness. An attorney can help you better understand what compensation may be available in your case.