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Question:
"A
recent episode of 20/20 reported that there are high counts of
bacteria in the water lines of dental equipment. Should I be concerned?"
Dr.
Gay:
Low
levels of microorganisms are normally present in all municipal
water systems.
A
thin layer of microorganisms, known as biofilm, accumulates in
common devices used to transport water, such as showerheads, faucets,
water fountains and water coolers. Biofilm may be present in your
home or office, as well as in the waterlines of the dental office.
The
short answer is that due to the small diameter tubings presently
required in dental units, relatively high numbers of common water
bacteria can be found in some dental water systems.
To
put the potential health risk to the patient in perspective, it
is helpful to consider the following statement from The Centers
for Disease Control (CDC):
"To
date, scientific evidence indicates there is little risk of
significant adverse health effects due to contact with water
from a dental unit."
However,
patients with immune systems weakened by medications or disease
should be sure to inform their dentist prior to treatment as they
would be at greater risk of infection than the 90% of the population
who have normally functioning immune systems.
To
the credit of the dental profession. the American Dental Association
in 1995 set a goal for dental equipment manufacturers to redesign
equipment to significantly lower the microbe count in dental unit
water.
The
obvious question is what can be done right now to minimize the
bacterial count in dental units. Here are the actions that are
recommended by the CDC, all of which we follow:
- Flushing
of waterlines at the beginning and end of the day and between
patients
- Installation
and maintenance of anti-retraction devices
- Sterilization
of handpieces
In
addition, we use disposable air water syringe tips and suction
tips and sterilize our ultrasonic scalers.
Please
feel free to ask us any questions about concerns you may have.
Your health is our topmost priority.
- Dr. Walter
E. Gay, Jr., DDS
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