What is "Green Dentistry", also known as eco-dentistry?

Currently, the amount of waste generated by dental practices around the world is staggering, from mercury dumped in the wastewater to using large amounts of water and electricity. Eco-dentistry aids in identifying simple measures that we and our patients can take to reduce waste and conserve energy, thereby promoting awareness of the environment.

Some popular examples of eco-dentistry are the following:

• Conserving energy

In South Africa there is a real need to conserve energy, as frequent electricity blackouts are a testimony of. At Cape Town Smile Studios we switch off unused lights, and have replaced traditional light bulbs with energy-efficient versions where possible. Outside lights are on timers, and are only switched on at night.

• Conserving water

Dental surgeries waste a lot of water on an annual basis. This is usually the result of leaving taps running while dentists, staff and patients wash their hands. brush their teeth or rinse their mouths. Simply turning the tap off during washing will save a huge amount of water over a period of time. Pour some water into a cup and use that for rinsing. Dental  staff at CTSS are trained to use predetermined amounts of water for mixing dental materials. This not only reduces monthly bills but contributes positively towards water conservation.

• Reducing radiation

Using digital radiation techniques rather than conventional radiation techniques reduces the amount of radiation that the patient is exposed to by up to 90%, while at the same time the amount of radiation sent into the universe is reduced. Image quality is not only better (therefore less xrays are needed to get just the correct image), but our carbon footprint is smaller because we no longer have to use toxic developers and fixers to get the image on a plastic film. By switching to digital X-rays, it is estimated that each dental surgery would prevent the disposal of around 200 litres of toxic dental X-ray fixer and more than 7,200 lead foils (part of the packaging of the conventional xrays) over a five year period.And our patients have the added advantage that their xrays can be sent around the world. Storage of conventional xrays in a large practice such as CTSS has been a major problem, but not since 1999 when we first started using digital xrays.

• Reuse / Recycle

At CTSS all paper is recycled, even the ads from companies that are only printed on one side is used to print internal office information on the other side!  Paper or plastic products, magazines, and general waste are placed in recycle containers. Recycling helps to reduce costs as well as cutting down on waste.

• Using technology

Nowadays, most companies depend on computer technology to do accounts, keep client records, make appointments, communicate with clients and other companies, pay bills, online banking and many other important everyday functions. Dental practices are becoming increasingly reliant on computers but some are still using paper records, appointment books and paper forms, which means a significant amount of paper is being used.  CTSS has been using computer technology for patient records, an online appointment system and an online payment system since 1999, reducing paper usage and making the system much more efficient and accurate. The only printed statement the patient receives is on the day of treatment. In fact, monthly statements have not been printed since 2001. Where patients later require another statement, this is emailed to them as a pdf.

Many people will probably be unaware of the risks associated with several chemicals and materials used on a daily basis in dental surgeries, but this is an issue that has been highlighted in reference to green dentistry. Some of the materials used in dental offices can potentially be very harmful to the environment; amalgam, for example can be hazardous to unborn babies. Amalgam is used in fillings and contains mercury. Most practices in South Africa still use mercury as the alternative (composite) fillings are much more expensive and difficult to use.

Mercury from dental offices ends up in the central sewage networks, where it can be converted into a toxic substance, known as methylmercury, by bacteria in the sewage system. Methylmercury is extremely toxic, and enters the human food chain through the fish we eat. Mercury toxicity accounts for more than 200 health symptoms.

Currently, there is no law in place which requires dentists to reduce the amount of mercury that they release into the wastewater. Dr Ilona Visser, senior consultant at CTSS, will be presenting the facts of mercury toxicity from dental offices at a mini-forum on environmental toxins at North West University in November 2010.

What difference will green dentistry make?

It is easy for people to be sceptical and wonder what kind of difference simply turning off a few light bulbs and recycling some paper will do. However, research has shown that making simple changes can make a huge difference to the environment in a very short space of time. As well as helping to protect the environment, deciding to go green can also reduce costs and lower bills.

Tips for patients

Patients can also do their bit to help the save the environment. Ideas to help out include turning off the taps when washing your hands, sharing lifts to or from the dentist or using public transport (where possible) and recycling waste. The drive for greener dentistry is still in its infancy so there is no doubt that more improvement is needed.