Results
The study population consists of exposed and control groups. The exposed group consisted of 32 dental staff 20 nurses (62.5%; 7 males and 13 females) and 12 dentists (37.5%; 8 males and 4 females working in department of pediatric dentistry). Their mean age was 43.23 ± 10.75 years ranging from 25 to 65 years, showing no statistically significant difference when compared with exposed group.
The mean value of measured creatinine corrected urinary mercury (U-Hg) among exposed dental personnel (10.02 ± 1.36 µg Hg/gm creatinine) was statistically significantly higher then that of the controls (4.74 ± 0.84 µg Hg/gm creatinine) p < 0.001; Table 1.
Estimation of total mean value of blood mercury showed significantly higher levels among the exposed dental personnel compared to their controls (7.74 ± 1.03 versus 4.79 ± 0.84 µg/L) p < .001; Table 1.
The indicators of renal function as albumin and α1 microgloblin in urine were significantly elevated at level p < 0.001 (Table 1) in exposed dental staff compared with control group.