Aseptic Techniques

Cross infection: The transmittal of an infection from one patient i n a hospital or health care setting to another p patient with different pathogenic microorganisms in the same environment.

 The goal of infection control is to prevent the spread of infection from patient to another or treating health care worker.  Pathogenic microorganism : its produce disease and harmful.  Nonpathogenic microorgamism:its harmless.

 The infection by potential pathogens can occur through the following means: *direct contact *indirect contact like droplet or body secretion *air borne mechanism through inhalation of pathogens *vehicle borne mechanism through ingestion of contaminated thing *vector or vivo like animal and insects

Sterilization  Sterilization is a term referring to any process that removes or kills all forms of life, including transmissible agents (such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore forms, etc.) present on a surface, contained in a fluid, in medication, or in a compound.

Universal precautions taken by health worker.  Gloves should be used when contact with blood. infectious body fluids,mucus membrane or non intact skin of all pts  Face mask and aye wear should used.  In case of cut on the finger the hand should be washed with soap.  Rubber dams,suction,and prober pt position minimize generation of droplets.

 Sterilization of hand piece after each pt.  Blood.saliva and gingival fluid should carefully cleaned from dental material like impression material and bit registration materials.  The dental equipment and surfaces should wrapped with impervious backed paper.  Syringes or needle once used to inoculate local anesthetic into a pt should never be used to re- enter a multi dose vial of local anesthetic.

Hand washing:  The dental personnel is obliged to wash their hands before and after coming in contact with the patient (or the instruments used) independently of wearing gloves or not during the operation.  Hand washing must be performed meticulously so that every hand surface is adequately cleaned.  Special attention must be paid to hand surfaces usually neglected when washed.

HAND WASHING:

DRY HANDS:

Mask and glasses:  During the examination or any dental work, an appropriate mask and eye protectors are necessary.  Masks must be able to withhold at least 95% of the microorganisms.  In case the dental patient suffers from an airborne disease (tuberculosis), the mask must be enhanced and fully adaptable to the wearer’s face

 Eye protectors may include various types of glasses or plastic masks or shields made of transparent materials. The side frame should be wide enough to cover adequately the eye.  These protectors must be rinsed with abundant water and get disinfected in case they get stained in between the patients

Dental clothing & Surface coverings:  They must be changed on a daily basis and definitely as soon as they get stained.  If the operation is expected to involve a large amount of bleeding or the patient is likely to be seropositive, it is highly recommended that specially designed single-use clothing be used.  Reusable clothing must be washed in a machine washer at an appropriate temperature, using a detergent and always separately from domestic and non-medical clothing

Surface coverings:  Any surfaces, devices, electric switches, door handles, drawer knobs, taps, handles and device tubes not able to be sterilized or disinfected, should be meticulously covered with appropriate materials, such as:  special rollers and plasticized paper sheets,  cellulose film  aluminum foil

 self-adhesive films.  nylon cases.  latex and vinyl cases.  These protective coverings should be replaced after every contact and every patient.

Surface Covering.

Sterilization and disinfection in dental clinic.  Sterilization is the process of removing all microbial life from an article or surface inclusive of bacteria this can be done by chemicals or physical methods.  Physical methods: .dry heat.(oven)

Moist heat(autoclave)120c 30 min or 136c for 10 min for high pressure vacuum autoclave. Glass bead sterilization used for root canal instrument and burs at temperature of c for 30min.

 Chemical methods :.ethylene oxide :toxic gas used for heat sensitive equipment after use the articles should be aerated for at lest 24 hour before use because it my cause hematological problem.and it only suitable for large institute.

 Glutaralaldhyde:  activated by alkali (activator)  The solution should have contact time of at least 6 hours and it can be used with in 25 days.