Martin, N. orcid.org/0000-0002-6380-559X, Hunter, A., Constantine, Z. orcid.org/0009-0008-4121-8133 et al. (1 more author) (2024) The environmental consequences of oral healthcare provision by the dental team. Journal of Dentistry, 142. 104842. ISSN 0300-5712
Abstract
Objectives
To undertake a comparative ecological impact (Total lifetime carbon footprint and single use plastics (SUP) waste generation) derived from the provision of professional oral healthcare (Dentists and hygienist) to five different patient categories up to the age of 50 years, representative of different levels of progressive dental disease and treatment experience.
Method
CO2e and SUP waste generated was calculated for five patient categories with common preventable diseases; that are representative of different levels of progressive dental disease and treatment experience. The assessment is based on the average restorative care levels for 50-year-olds in the UK. The number of appointments for each procedure was calculated using current evidence-based guidelines. The total lifetime carbon and the SUP waste analysis was calculated using published peer-reviewed data.
Results
The total carbon footprint follows a progression with low impacts for individual persons with very low disease and treatment experience (285 KgCO2e), escalating to very high impacts (approximately 2,170 KgCO2e) for people with high levels of disease and treatment experience. SUP waste follows a similar linear rise across the different cohorts of dental experience over a lifetime (6–50 years), from 1,382 items and 4.6 Kg for patients in a the very low dental experience, to 12,200 items and 33.8 Kg for patients in the cohort of very high dental experience.
Conclusions
The provision of all oral healthcare carries an environmental impact in the form of carbon footprint and SUP waste. The cumulative lifetime environmental impact of oral healthcare is proportional to the disease and treatment experience of the individual person for these preventable diseases; with a x8 difference between the two extremes of experience.
Clinical Significance
All forms of oral healthcare have an environmental impact. The most effective way to mitigate these impacts is through the promotion and provision of effective evidence-based preventive oral healthcare.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) |
Keywords: | Oral healthcare; Environmental sustainability; Carbon footprint |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Clinical Dentistry (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 23 Jan 2024 10:12 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jan 2024 21:41 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104842 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:208144 |
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Filename: JJOD - Env Consequences of OHC provision (Jan 2024).pdf
Licence: CC-BY 4.0