Protection by latex or vinyl gloves against cytotoxicity of direct bonding adhesives.

The cytotoxicity of orthodontic bonding agents (OBAs) has been demonstrated in both animal and in vitro studies. Many practitioners and their assistants have experienced contact dermatitis of the fingers following contact with OBA. Latex gloves have also been reported to cause similar symptoms in several reports. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and quantify the toxic effects of latex and vinyl gloves, several OBAs, and combinations of these in vitro to determine the kind of glove that should by worn by practitioners when manipulating an OBA. It was determined that when OBAs are applied to washed latex, the combined toxic effect on cultured cells exceeded that of the washed gloves alone. However, when vinyl glove material instead of latex was tested, the toxic effects decreased more than 50%. Therefore, we suggest that practitioners who experience contact dermatitis in orthodontic practices wear vinyl gloves instead of latex, especially when manipulating OBAs. We also acknowledge the need for further research on the subject.