Hygiene
Protection for patients and staff
Given the close proximity of the dentist to the patient and the multitude of instruments used during treatments, we adhere to very strict hygiene standards to prevent infections. In this article, I’ll give you an overview of everything we do to protect you and ourselves!
Infection protection for all of us!
In a dental practice, our patients and we are constantly in contact with all sorts of pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is therefore essential that we all protect ourselves as best as possible. Here’s an overview of what we do, but I won’t go into detail, because that would only bore you!
Personal protective equipment
We are committed to the strict use of personal protective equipment, such as:
- Gloves: Disposable gloves are worn by both the dentist and all other practice staff to avoid direct contact with blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids.
- Face masks: Face masks and protective eyewear protect both the patient and our staff from droplet infections and aerosols generated during treatments.
- Protective gowns and aprons: These prevent direct contact between work clothing and potentially infectious materials.
Hand hygiene
Hands are a common transmission route for germs. Thorough hand disinfection before and after treatment is therefore essential. Especially after removing gloves, hands must be washed and disinfected. And don’t forget to moisturize your hands afterwards!
Ventilation and indoor hygiene
Fresh air, i.e., regular ventilation of the practice rooms, helps to reduce the concentration of aerosols released during treatment.
Disposable items
Even though it would generally be more sustainable to avoid single-use items, hygiene is our top priority. For example, we naturally use disposable syringes and needles, disposable gloves, disposable nozzles for air-water syringes, etc. Furthermore, it is particularly important to us to use disposable instruments for root canal treatments as well, since hygiene protocols for such tiny files have an error rate of almost 98%. That is simply unacceptable!
Disinfection of work surfaces
Work surfaces in a dental practice, such as treatment units, tables, equipment trays, and door handles, must be disinfected regularly to prevent contamination with bacteria and viruses.
- Surface disinfection: All work surfaces are wiped down with a suitable disinfectant after each treatment. Disinfectant solutions that are effective against a broad range of microorganisms, such as bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal agents, are particularly important. Adhering to the contact time is crucial.
- Disinfectant selection: When selecting disinfectants, their effectiveness against common pathogens such as hepatitis B, HIV, or herpes viruses should be considered. Compatibility with materials must also be taken into account to avoid damage to furniture or equipment. The selection of disinfectants is reviewed regularly.
- Surface disinfection after each patient: Especially in high-traffic areas like the treatment unit, work surfaces must be thoroughly disinfected after each patient, as direct contact with bodily fluids is frequent.
- Regular cleaning of floors and walls: Floors, walls and other less frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned at least once a day to ensure consistent hygiene.
Sterilization of instruments
The central component of hygiene in dental practices is the sterilization of instruments.
- Before instruments can be sterilized, they are thoroughly cleaned to remove coarse contaminants such as blood, saliva, and dental plaque. We use a special cleaning machine for this.
- Sterilization takes place in an autoclave, a device that uses steam at high temperature and pressure to kill all microorganisms. The temperature is typically around 134°C. We use two autoclaves.
- To ensure that everything is carried out correctly, the disinfection and sterilization equipment undergoes regular inspections and revalidations. Daily monitoring of these procedures and documentation are computerized.
Author: drw
If you want to know more about the topic
I only want to give an overview here, not write a scientific article. It’s clear that these aren’t all the measures we’re taking. For more in-depth information, you can follow the links:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5217a1.htm