Dental erosion in workers exposed to inorganic acid fumes.

Changes in the colour and, structure of the teeth in workers exposed to strong inorganic acid fumes have, we believe, been recognized for many years by the workers themselves. Various measures of protection have, in fact, been unofficially adopted by them, and these we shall discuss below. Because these changes do not give rise to any loss of time or earnings, and because the affected workers have been reluctant in the past to report them, the prevalence of the condition has not been fully realized and no precautions have been adopted to prevent it. The dangers of acute nitrous fume poisoning are well known and guarded against. In the course of routine medical examination of the workers in this factory the peculiar erosion of the teeth of certain workers was observed, and this led to a full dental examination of all workers engaged in the manufacture of guncotton and nitrocellulose and exposed continuously to acid fume. The workers had been employed in this section for periods varying from one month to five years. One hundred.and eighteen female workers and eight males were examined. This preponderance of female workers was due to the fact that these women had taken over work formerly carried out by men.