Green Denistry: Beneficial for Patients, Beneficial for the Environment

Green Denistry: Beneficial for Patients, Beneficial for the Environment

For several years now, the health of the environment has been a topic of much concern. Various institutions, organizations, and dedicated individuals across the globe are doing their part to take care of our planet. For the medical field, the transition for environment-friendly care hasn't been seamless.

Nevertheless, "green dentistry has finally arrived," explains Ina Pockrass, CEO of Transcendentalist, Inc., a professional green dental products company, and co-creator of the country's first "green" dental office. Dental practices that have gone green incorporate technologies that improve their practices and procedures, while making their offices more eco-friendly.

For example, one of the most significant innovations for "green" dental practices is digital radiography, which eliminates the need for traditional film X-rays. This change allows dental practices to dramatically reduce the harmful chemicals, like lead and silver, that are released into the environment during film development. Digital X-rays are also safer for patients. They reduce exposure to radiation by approximately 90 percent. Overall, these images are more convenient because they are immediately available to the dentist and of better quality than traditional X-rays, which leads to greater diagnostic detail and accuracy.

"Green" dental practices also use high-quality, biodegradable disinfectants and steam sterilization methods, which don't require ventilation for chemical vapors or a hazardous waste permit for the disposal of toxic chemicals, which can end up in the public water supply. Special, environmentally friendly washers and dryers exist, often on-site at the dental office, to facilitate the use of cloth bibs, gowns, headrest covers, and other supplies that can be sterilized and reused. It is estimated that dental offices in the United States dispose 1.7 billion paper products into landfills every year. By using washable, reusable products, this number will be greatly reduced.

A philosophy common in many dental practices, "green" or not, is metal-free dentistry. This practice involves using materials, such as composite resin, ionomers, porcelain, and ceramic, rather than traditional materials, like amalgam, which is a combination of zinc, silver, and mercury. Patients love these eco-friendly restorations because they are tooth-colored and are, therefore, unnoticeable. Dentists love them because they provide metal-free, esthetic smile treatments, while eliminating the heavy metal waste associated with traditional fillings.

"Green dentistry" is becoming more and more popular, so it is likely that there is a green dental practice in your area. In a time when the wellbeing of the planet is at risk, "green" dentists do their part by rethinking decisions about their office products, supplies, and equipment, striving to decrease the impact of their practice on the environment in terms of energy, and, overall, choosing environmentally sound options.

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