Sir, I felt I must contact the BDJ after reading the paper in BDJ 2004, 197: 527. This, I believe, is the 6th in a series of endodontic papers and covered the subject of rubber dam.

I agree with Dr Carrotte that the use of rubber dam may protect patients from inhalation or ingestion of foreign materials at the time of restorative dental work being carried out. I also believe that where inhalation is suspected, in either an adult or a child, further investigation is required. The Royal College of Radiologists have produced guidelines for clinicians which, among other topics, covers the situation of foreign body inhalation/ingestion. In the adult patient without abdominal signs or symptoms the only radiograph indicated would be an Antero-Posterior Chest Film.1

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