Hepatitis B and C infection among dentists – Risk, prevention, and management

Abstract

Viral hepatitis (B and C) has become silent and life-threatening epidemic in recent years. Liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma are primarily caused by this condition. In 2019, Hepatitis B resulted in an estimated 1.5 million new infections and 820,000 deaths mostly due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. There are “n” number of ways, in which infections can be triggered in a Dentists Chamber through direct or indirect contact with human blood, secretions, and aerosols. To reduce the hepatitis infection in their community, the aim of this research is to raise awareness among dental clinicians. Several elements connected with compliance to the hepatitis vaccination were not known by dentists, which placed them among the high-risk groups. Dental professionals can play a significant role in preventing hepatitis by recognizing that every patient has the potential to transmit the disease. For the prevention of this viral infection, sterilization, and prophylactic vaccination routine should be adhered properly. Our search keywords included hepatitis, dental, liver disease, and infection control from online databases such as ProQuest, PubMed, and Medline. In addition to online databases, we searched various journals and books by hand. The focus of this review was only on highly relevant English literature.