Cognitive function among sons of women who worked in dentistryShow others and affiliations
2012 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, ISSN 0355-3140, E-ISSN 1795-990X, Vol. 38, no 6, p. 546-552Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Objective: Exposure to elemental mercury vapor can impair neurological function as it is neurotoxic in doses higher than usually found in dentistry. Little is known about the potential effects of fetal exposure to elemental mercury among offspring of female dental workers. We investigated cognitive function among offspring of women working in dentistry at the time of their pregnancy.
Methods: We compared results for cognitive function examinations taken by the majority of young men in Sweden at the time of compulsory military enlistment (age 17-18 years). Sons of female dentists (N=365) and dental nurses (N=3181) born during the 1960-1970s were compared with sons of female physicians (N=378) and assistant nurses (N=12 667).
Results: Analysis by linear regression showed that sons of dental workers had similar or higher cognitive function test results compared to their matched cohorts.
Conclusion: We found no evidence of poorer cognitive function among male offspring of female dentists or dental nurses.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health , 2012. Vol. 38, no 6, p. 546-552
Keywords [en]
Amalgam, dental nurse, dentist, female dental personnel, mercury, occupational exposure
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences Dentistry
Research subject
Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-25564DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3279ISI: 000208883700007PubMedID: 22517488Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84868542699OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-25564DiVA, id: diva2:548092
2012-08-292012-08-292018-07-22Bibliographically approved