Respirable Crystaline Silica (RCS) Dust is generated when you break the fabric of a building, drill, grind, score or break concrete, brick and block.
RSC Dusts are fine particles that are spewed into the air when you break concrete, brick, block and cement products and will settle in the lungs. Over time they will build up and cause Silicosis, which will present very similar to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
You can however protect yourself from this long term killer by wearing well fitting Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) in the form of a mask or air fed hood. Masks can offer some protection when bought over the counter and not "Fitted", but there are many factors that will allow fine dust particles to still get in the airways and lungs. Half Masks made of rubber materials and seperateremovable filters are better, but require the wearers face to be clean shaved. The best choice is an air fed powered hood, which when worn correctly will create a positive flow of filtered air to the hood and your head. They can be restrictive though so not to everyone's taste and comfort. But they are the best choice for your lungs. They are expensive, but so is a lung transplant!
You will obviously make your own choices, but the old adage of 'Something is better than nothing' is almost true in this case. A face fitted, FFP3 mask is the least of the better than nothing scenario.
The same is true of wood dusts, which will in time cause a multitude of medical issues such as nasal cancer, COPD to name just a few.
Get fitted, get equipped, get a grip on dusts. Ignoring it, is more than your life is worth.