Dept. of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka
*Address for Correspondence: Dr. Anzil. K.S. Ali, Postgraduate student, Dept. of public health dentistry, Coorg institute of dental sciences, K.K campus, Magula, Virajpet, 571218, Karnataka, India. Cell: +91-9037537001, Email: anzilksali@gmail.com
Online published on 19 December, 2013.
In dentistry, as in any other profession there is a risk of cross-infection for both patients and dentists. The objective of this study was to determine the level and type of microbial contamination produced by ultrasonic scaler and high speed air turbine hand piece and present on indoor air in a rural dental college setting. How far these aerosols spread and what level of contamination they cause in the dental surgery has become a growing concern.
Air sampling using Trypticase soy agar plates and brain heart infusion agar at 5 selected areas was performed 3 times per day over a 2-week period before, during, and after clinical sessions.
The overall bacterial colony count varies and this shows that the bacterial contamination generated during the operative dental treatments was less than the contamination generated during the ultrasonic scaling treatments. Staphylococcus epidermidis had the highest prevalence of colony composition of microbes examined.
This study demonstrates that aerosols increase during and after work sessions and therefore increase the chance for infectious agent transmission.
Aerosols, Splatter, Infection control, Cross infection, Indoor air quality
