Helpful Diabetes Information

How to Provide Sterile Water in Dental Surgeries

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the water used in dental surgeries should be independent from normal dental equipment. Tests show that ordinary drinking water cannot consistently sterilize the equipment used by dental surgeons because it is impossible for water companies to dependably treat normal drinking water.

Recent studies by the World Health Organization tested dental surgeries to determine the levels of bacteria found on dental equipment using the conventional methods of sterilization and found that an alarming 90 per cent of the samples did not meet the minimum requirements of cleanliness set the dental association. What this means is that water used by most dental surgeons is no better than pond water. Not only that but two-thirds of the samples also showed evidence of saliva from other patients. Toilet water is cleaner than dental water.

The survey concluded that the design of the water supply line to the dentist chair is not suitable for carrying sterilized water. At the end of each day when the dental instruments are not being used the water that has gathered in the tubes begins to stagnate. As a consequence bacteria forms on the inside of the tube walls and is collected by clean water when the equipment is next used by the dentist. The risks and potential hazards of dental water are high. Patients with weak immune systems that are not able to cope with foreign organisms could be seriously ill.
Luckily for dental practices and their patients, sterilization products for dental equipment is available. Sterile tubing and disposable bags of sterile saline for example are better for cleaning dental tools and ultrasonic scalars.

Surgeries are being advised to use water filters that are specially treated to wipe out all bacteria from water supply lines. By investing in a specifically designed water filter dental surgery will significantly lower the amount of bacteria and particulate matter from their water. By using filters equipped with anti-airlock panels to allow trapped air to exit through hydrophobic vents, the filters will not trap water. Easy-to-install waterline filters are also highly recommended for reducing levels of dangerous bacteria together with air to water syringes, high-speed hand pieces and ultrasonic scalars.

Using a reverse osmosis water filter will also protect dental surgeries from breeding unwanted bacteria in water they use on patients. Reverse osmosis is the process in which pure water is produced by forcing contaminated water through semi permeable membranes and effectively reduces bacteria found in waterWater filters fitted with reverse osmosis technology is specifically designed to protect dental surgeries and their patients from developing disease caused by dirty water. Dentist Reverse osmosis filtration