Effects of use of latex rubber gloves by dental students at the dental school, faculty of dental sciences

Abstract

Introduction: Latex is the material that rubber gloves are made of. The powder inside gloves and even the latex itself may elicit a latex reaction on the handler of the gloves or the patient. Latex reactions have become an issue of concern in the medical field, with 5 - % of health workers affected. Dentists and dental personnel have a lot of contact with gloves, compared to the other health care workers, and are therefore at more risk of developing reactions. The object of this study is finding out the effects of wearing latex rubber gloves on dental students at the Dental School, Faculty of Dental Sciences. Materials and Methods: the study was done in the Dental School, University of Nairobi. All the third and fourth year dental students at the Dental School were anlaysed. Sit was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The date collection was done using self-administered questionnaires. Results: Presence of NRL reaction was seen in 88.9% for dry hands, 5.5% for itchiness and 5.6% for rashes. Only 1 (1.9%) out of 7 who have food allergies had a latex reaction. Only 1 (1.9%) out of 9 who have drug allergies had a latex reaction. 82% of studies are affected by latex glove use. Discussion: There is presence of natural rubber latex reactions amongst the dental students in Dental School. Every health personnel should go for a skin test to check for sensitivity and a blood test to check the amount of latex allergens in the body.