Letter to Editor

Authors

• Sunil Kumar Mishra ¹
• Ramesh Chowdhary ²

¹ Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, Peoples College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

² Branemark Osseointegration Centre; Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, Rajarajeswari Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Sir,

Enormous use of mobile phone communications in the society in ultra-high frequency range of 300–3000MHz had raised a concern that whether the electromagnetic field emissions with mobile phones or base transceiver station are linked to cancer or other health hazards. Nonionizing radiations are electromagnetic radiations (EMR) in the range of 1 Hz to 1 THz and they do not have sufficient energy to change the chemical bonds of the tissues. EMR above 1 THz is called as ionizing radiations and having the potential to cause genetic alteration of the tissues by break down of chemical bonds on prolonged exposure.^[1],[2] Specific absorption rate (SAR) is a measure of the thermal effects of radiofrequency in terms of the amount of temperature elevation. The International Commission on Nonionizing Radiation Protection has set frequencies up to 300 GHz as limitations for exposure and followed national regulations by many countries. The limit of mobile phone use is the SAR of 2 W/kg for the human head.^[3]

Fujii ^[4] in his case study found balance difficulty in a patient having titanium dental implant due to EMR emitted from cell phones. Fujii ^[5] in his another case study found improvement of systemic symptoms such as lumbago, shoulder stiffness, neck pain, hip joint pain, and facial pain in a patient after the removal of titanium implants from the oral cavity. These dental implants collect harmful EMR from cell phones due to their antennae like activity and effect the cerebral blood flow in the patients and caused systemic effects. Avoiding harmful EMR is considered to reduce these physical symptoms and concomitantly improve physical abilities.

Mishra et al.^[3] in their systematic review on effects of cell phone radiations on orofacial structures found that cell phone emitted radiations had their adverse effect on salivary glands, oral mucosal cells, and facial nerves. Cell phone radiations cause changes in salivary flow rate due to alteration of the cytokine expression profile of the salivary gland in heavy cell phone users. Cell phone-emitted radiation causes nuclear abnormalities of the oral mucosal cells. Cell phones increase the temperature of the surrounding tissues and cause facial nerves dysfunction.

Studies had found adverse effects of cell phone on orofacial structures and also its systemic effect due to dental implants. Cell phone used is held very close to the orofacial structures and precautionary measures should be taken to prevent the harmful effects of EMR on these structures till the uncertainties remain, and the situation is clarified with further research.