The October JADA Question of the Month ("In Your View, Is the Influence of ‘Junk Science’ on Public Knowledge and Public Policy a Growing Problem?") asked my opinion of the risk to the profession from junk science.
To quote Dr. Jeffcoat’s October JADA editorial, "Fear and hysteria can only flourish in a climate of ignorance." Yet Dr. Jeffcoat blessed and caused to be published in September JADA a pseudo-scientific masterpiece, "A Review of the Science Regarding Dental Unit Waterlines," by Dr. Louis G. DePaola and colleagues.
Now, with a critical eye, let’s just briefly go through their Summary and Recommendations. "No disease transmission arising from DUWL [dental unit waterlines] microbial contamination has been conclusively documented." Stop right there. Read that again and decide why we need to go any further.
"(F)ail(s) to meet U.S. drinking water standards"—maybe everybody else drinks the water that comes out of their hand-piece and air-water syringe tip, but I don’t. I use it for cooling, lubrication and irrigation. A lot of things in this world of ours have the potential to cause harm if used for purposes other than those intended.
Next line: "Evidence suggests that dental personnel and the increasing number of immunocompromised dental patients are being exposed to potentially pathogenic and resistant microorganisms," which is undoubtedly true, but becomes irrelevant hype based upon the opening statement of no proof existing.
"Well-documented in other health care settings28" got me interested, and I did something I usually don’t do because I’m a front-line dentist and not an academician. I looked up footnote no. 28. It cites "Biofilm and the Dental Office."1 I would have expected the citation to discuss hospitals or public health clinics or something other than dental [offices]. Perhaps it is an oversight. Perhaps it is circular logic.
"More research is needed [, however,] to determine the constitution and pathogenicity of [microbial] biofilm"? As with amalgam, I would think that if biofilm were truly hazardous, it would have been evident decades ago. My cats drink out of the toilet. While that is esthetically distasteful, it seems not to harm the cats.
Let’s stick to science rather than create more problems for ourselves. Look up the word "nosocomial" in your medical dictionary. If we declare war upon the things living in our waterlines, they will win. They outnumber us, and they are smarter. If we are made to disinfect our waterlines, we will produce the problem we are now discussing.
To Dr. DePaola and the other workshop participants I say, the data do not support your hypothesis. The scientific method is clear on what to do now. Don’t rationalize or justify. Instead, reach down between your knees and pull the ejection handle. Bail out.
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