If an acidic porcelain etch is spilled on a patient's arm What should be done first?

Answer 1

Wipe the etch off the forearm immediately. Follow by wiping the forearm with lots of gauze soaked in water. Advise the patient of the accident, show them where it occurred and advise them to watch for any reaction (redness, swelling, itching, etc.) and to notify you immediately of any symptoms. Reassure the patient that nothing is likely to occur but this is precautionary only. If possible, photograph the forearm before the patient leaves the office. Thoroughly document EVERYTHING about this incident in the patient's chart.

Answer 2

Wash off extensively with water and blot off with dry cloth - where possible neutralize with an appropriate wash. (Skin or eye exposure can create serious burns.)

Ask the dentist or his assistant for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)*, which outlines exactly what to do and what not to do for a given material when you have an exposure.

If they don't have it, find out the brand and do a quick internet search for the MSDS - many of of them are online nowadays. If you still can't find it, call the manufacturer.

Most likely the first step would be just to wash it off with water, and check out your skin - if it was a minimal amount and there is nothing unusual about your skin, and you do not have any unusual symptoms, you are probably OK. There are at least 2 different porcelain etchants - one is phosphoric acid, and the other is hydrofluoric acid (HF) - HF is the more dangerous of the two* There may be others, or some proprietary ones - which makes it important to consult the MSDS and see what it says.

(*see related link for HF MSDS)