Eliminating effects of an air purifier on infectants during dental procedure

Bull Tokyo Dent Coll. 1995 Feb;36(1):27-31.

Abstract

Blood and drill dust from dental plaque microorganisms, teeth, and filling materials can cause environmental pollution in the dental clinic. Currently, as a preventive measure against air pollution from a patient's mouth during dental treatment, dust-collecting aspirators such as an extra-oral vacuum aspirator (EOVA) are coming into general use. We tested the eliminating effects by the EOVA with the plaque solution aerosol and the aerosol from drilling a tooth by examining the distribution of floating aerosol in the air turbine's tank when a plaque solution was sprayed and when a human tooth was drilled with a plaque solution. We concluded that infectious aerosol increases in diameter with the drilling of human teeth to the size of about 0.5-5.0 micrometers, which is microbiologically and hygienically hazardous and also can be inhaled without much difficulty.

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Air Microbiology*
  • Air Pollutants
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / prevention & control*
  • Dental Cavity Preparation
  • Dental Clinics
  • Dental Equipment*
  • Dental Plaque / microbiology
  • Equipment Contamination
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / instrumentation*
  • Respiratory Protective Devices*
  • Streptococcus sanguis / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants