60 likes | 181 Views
An efficient cross-infection control mechanism is paramount<br>for any dental practice to ensure the safety of their patients as<br>well as the dental staff. Dentists have to consider various<br>factors before devising a comprehensive sterilization and<br>disinfection program for their dental surgeries
E N D
KeyConsiderationsin Sterilizationand Disinfectionforyour DentalPractice Anefficientcross-infectioncontrolmechanismisparamount foranydentalpracticetoensurethesafetyoftheirpatientsas wellasthedentalstaff.Dentistshavetoconsidervarious factorsbeforedevisingacomprehensivesterilizationand disinfectionprogramfortheirdentalsurgeries. Inthisarticle,wewillgiveabriefoverviewofkey considerationsandfactorsthatmakesterilizationprocedures effectiveandsuccessful. www.dentalytec.com
THINGSTOCONSIDER THINGSTOCONSIDERBEFORE DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS BEFORESTERILIZATIONAND STERILIZATIONAND 1.SeparationofContaminatedInstruments AccordingtoCentersforDiseaseControl,adetailedmechanism shouldbedevisedfortheseparationofcontaminatedandsterilized instruments.Thebestwaytodothisistosecuretheinstrumentsin sterilizationcassettes,whichnotonlyhelpinbetterorganizing instrumentsbeforeandduringsterilization,buttheyalsoprevent exposureofthesterilizedinstrumentswiththecontaminatedones. 2.HandWashing Dentalprofessionalswhocomeincontactwithcontaminated dentalinstrumentsmustwashtheirhandsaftereverycontact, regardlesstheyworeglovesornot.Cleaningthehandswiththe helpofasoap,followedbyusingananti-septicdetergentis sufficientforpreventcross-infection. 3.AlwaysUseaProtectiveBarrier WearingGloves:Contaminatedinstrumentsshouldneverbe handledwithbarehands.Rather,thecentersforDiseaseControl (CDC)mandatesthatdentalprofessionalstaskedwiththe sterilizationofdentalinstrumentsmustwearglovestoprotect themselvesfromaccidentalinjuryandcross-infectionfromdirty instruments. www.dentalytec.com
THINGSTOCONSIDER THINGSTOCONSIDERBEFORE STERILIZATIONAND DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS STERILIZATIONAND WearingMasksandGlasses:bothmasksandglassesprotect thedentalprofessionalfromaccidentalinfectionfroma aerosolthatisgeneratedduringwashingorcleaningof contaminateddentalinstruments. Remember,safetyofthedentalteamisasessentialasthatof thepatients.Forpatientswhoareknowntohaveany communicablediseasesuchasHepatitisorHIV,double protectionmustbeusedintheformofdoubleglovesand masks.Forsterilizationofinstrumentsusedonhigh-risk patients,protectiveapronsmustalsobeused. 4. DonotDisinfectWhenyouCanSterilize Disinfectiononlydestroysthemicrobesbutnottheirspores. Thismeansthatorganismscanregrowaftersometime,and causeinfections.Therefore,wheneverpossible,instruments shouldbesterilizedratherthandisinfected. www.dentalytec.com
THINGSTOCONSIDER THINGSTOCONSIDERDURINGSTERILIZATIONAND DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS STERILIZATIONAND 1. DeviseaDefiniteRouteofInstrumentTransportation Dentistsshouldallocateaspaceintheirdentalclinic,whichservesas acentralizedstationforsterilizationofdentalinstruments.All membersofthedentalteammustbefamiliarwiththeplacesthat aredesignatedforcleanedandcontaminatedinstruments.Inthis way,allcontaminateddentalinstrumentswillbecollectedatasingle place,anditwouldbecomemucheasierandtime-efficientto sterilizethematoneplace.Inaddition,chancesofcross-infection duetominglingofcleaninstrumentswithcontaminatedoneswill alsobereduced. 2. AlwaysCleanInstrumentsBeforeSterilizationor Disinfection Priortopackagingcontaminatedinstrumentsforsterilization,they mustbethoroughlycleanedtoremovevisibledebris,chemicalsor blooddroplets.Forinstrumentsthatarenotaffectedbysteamor water,thebestmethodforcleaningisbywashingthemunder runningwater.Alternatively,ultrasoniccleaningcanalsobe employed.Afterwashing,instrumentsshouldbethoroughlydried andvisuallyinspectedforcleanliness. www.dentalytec.com
THINGSTOCONSIDER THINGSTOCONSIDERDURINGSTERILIZATIONAND DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS DISINFECTIONOFDENTALINSTRUMENTS STERILIZATIONAND 3. SafelySecuringSharpInstruments Sharpinstrumentslikescalpels,blades,scissors,etc,are frequentlyusedindentalsurgicalprocedures.After sterilization,theymustbesecuredatdesignatedplacedto preventaccidentalcontaminationorinjury.Forthis purpose,sterilizationcassettes,whichcontainspecified slotsforeachinstrumenttype,canbeused.These cassettesnotonlyallowforefficientsterilization,butthey alsoprovetobequiteusefulinsafeinstrumentstorage. 4. SafedisposalofNon-reusableInstruments Contaminatedinstrumentsthatareonlyusedonce,must besafelysecuredincontainersthatareclearlymarkedand designatedfromdisposingoffdisposabledental instruments.Sharpinstrumentssuchasneedlesshouldbe brokendownbeforediscarding,toensurethattheyare notaccidentallyre-used. www.dentalytec.com
THINGSTOCONSIDER THINGSTOCONSIDERAFTERTHE STERILIZATION OFDENTALINSTRUMENTS OFDENTALINSTRUMENTS THE STERILIZATION 1.EnsuringQualityControl Itisthedutyofthedentistandthedentalofficemanagertoensure thathigheststandardsofinstrumentdisinfectionandsterilization arebeingmaintained.Inadditiontofrequentorsurprise inspections,chemicalorbiologicalindicatorscanbeplacedin autoclavedduringsterilization.Theseindicatorschangetheircolor whensufficientsterilizationhastakenplace. 2.PackagingandStorageofSterilizedInstruments Instrumentsrequiredforaspecificprocedureareplacedinspecial packagesbeforeplacingforsterilization.Thiswillminimizechances oftheircontaminationduringstorageandtransport,afterthey sterilization.Sterilizationcassettescanalsobeusedtosterilize togetherasetofinstrumentsrequiredforaspecificprocedure. Thesecassettesalsoalloweasierarrangementoftheinstruments, andminimizeriskofinjuryanddamageduringthecleaning, packaging,andstoragephases. Dentalprofessionalswhoareinvolvedinsterilizationofdental instrumentsmusthavedetailedknowledgeregardingthekey considerationswhiledisinfectingorsterilizationofdental instruments.Thisisbecause,theyarenotonlyresponsibleforthe safetyoftheirteammembers,butthehealthandwellbeingofthe patientsalsodependsuponthem. www.dentalytec.com