LO 5 Flashcards
A total office infection control program is designed to _______
Prevent or reduce the spread of disease
What are the six pathways for cross-contamination?
- Patient to dental team
- Dental team to patient
- Patient patient
- Dental office to community, including the dental teams families
- Community to patient
- Dental team to family
What are the three factors for infectious disease to develop?
- Virulence
- Dose
- Resistance
What are the goals of infection control?
- The goal of infection control is to reduce the dose of microorganisms that may be shared between individuals or between individuals and contaminated surfaces
- The more the dose is reduced, the better the chance of preventing disease spread
Where do infection control recommendations come from?
- Center for disease control (CDC) and health Canada - provide infection control recommendations
- Royal college of dental surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) regulates the practice of dentists under the regulated Health professions act (RHPA)
- The regulatory college for dental hygienists (CDHO)
Routine practices are based on the concept that ________
All patients are potentially infective
Are routine infection control practices required by law?
Yes, occupational health and safety is regulated in Canada in each of the 14 jurisdictions (provincial, territorial, and Federal)
What are the five principles inherent in routine practices?
- Risk assessment
- Hand hygiene
- Use of PPE
- Environmental controls
- Administrative controls
Define universal precautions
The concept that all human blood and certain body fluids that may contain blood are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV and HBV and other bloodborne pathogens
According to the CDC, an infection control program should include _______
A written program
Describe general dental office CDC guidelines
- All personnel should be tested for antibody hep B surface antigen
- Standard precautions / routine practices are to be used
- Proper hand hygiene must be followed
- PPE should include clean eyewear or face Shields
- Dental office personnel are to be educated about skin reactions that occur with frequent hand hygiene and the use of gloves (availability of latex-free gloves and emergency kits)
Describe CDC guidelines for Central instrument processing area
- Designated into receiving, cleaning, decontamination, preparation, packaging, sterilization, and storage
- Includes use of automated equipment (ultrasonic)
- Use of barriers / puncture resistant gloves
- Critical / semi critical instruments packaged and heat sterilized (use of chemical indicators and sterilization monitors)
Describes CDC guidelines for dental unit water lines/biofilms
- Use water that meets environmental protection agency drinking standard (500 CFU/ml) for dental care
- Flushing of handpiece, air water syringe, and ultrasonic scalers with water and air for 30 seconds after use and prior to removal from water lines between clients
Describe CDC guidelines for dental handpieces
- Follow manufacturer’s guidelines for proper sterilization
- Do not advise patients to close their lips around low-volume suction
Describe CDC guidelines for dental radiology
Use of heat tolerant/disposable film holding devices including use of barriers and proper disinfection of digital sensors
Describe the CDC guidelines for the dental laboratory
Need proper PPE and proper documentation
What should a dental hygienist know about immunizations?
- Optimal use of vaccines to prevent transmission of disease and illness (cost effective)
- Important vaccines missing for dental professionals include: hepatitis C, HIV, tuberculosis, and some forms of human herpes viruses
Describe tetanus
- Lockjaw
- Infectious complication of a cut/puncture wound caused by clostidium tatini (proliferation in anaerobic environment)
- Painful muscular contraction / spasms, death often and expected outcome of infection
- Tetanus endospores are present continually in environment and are resistant to disinfection efforts
- Boosters every 10 years after two inoculations at 4 to 6 years and 11 to 12 years - recommended for all those over 7 years of age
Describe influenza
- Acute respiratory disease
- Influenza type A or B typically infect humans
- Virus changes frequently and typically new vaccines are developed two times a year
- Individuals at high risk or persons over 50 should be vaccinated yearly
- CDC advises all health care workers to vaccinate yearly
- Vaccine is grown in eggs; cannot be administered to those with hypersensitivity to eggs
________ is one of the most frequently reported vaccine preventable diseases in North America (the need for a booster is still debated)
Hepatitis B
What are the purposes of PPE?
- Protect the operator
- Reduce direct contact
- Minimize indirect transmission
- Minimize exposure to spatter
- Minimize exposure to aerosols
What is included in personal protective equipment?
- Gloves
- Hand hygiene
- Masks - bacterial filtration efficiency: standard masks block particles greater than three micrometers with 95% filtration. Need to be removed by loops
- Protective eyewear - remove by ear rests
- Protective clothing
- Use of barriers
Why is it so vital to wear gloves?
- Client’s blood has been found to be retained under the fingernails of dental team members for several days even with hand washing!
What are factors that affect gloves?
- Length of time worn (approximately 1 hour)
- Procedures that perforate gloves
- Packaging
- Fit
- Storage
- Alcohol
- Rings
- Washing of gloves
What are the types of gloves typically worn in a dental office?
- Client care gloves
- Utility gloves (chemical and puncture resistance)
What are the proper use procedures dental hygienists should follow regarding gloves?
- Disposable gloves should be worn during all patient care activities
- These disposable gloves should not be reused
- Never wash patient care gloves with detergents or chemicals (will weaken them and enhance penetration/wicking)
- Remove if punctured or defective
- Proper fit important reduced fatigue
- Change gloves if leaving chairside
Latex gloves are made from _______ and _______ of the population and _____ of healthcare workers are sensitive to latex
- Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree)
- 1-6%
- 8-12%
What are the three types of reactions to gloves?
- Irritant contact dermatitis
- Allergic contact dermatitis
- Latex allergy
What products in the dental office may include latex?
Gloves, masks, profecups, rubber dams, blood pressure cuffs, carpule stoppers, Ortho rubber bands, impression materials
Who is at high risk of developing latex allergy?
- Healthcare workers
- Increased risk of developing due to multiple medical surgeries, food allergies (avocado, banana, kiwi, chestnut, papaya)
What is instrument processing?
- Collection of procedures to prepare contaminated instruments for reuse
- Must be performed carefully to ensure that disease agents are not transferred and to keep instrument damage at a minimum
What are the considerations for design of an instrument processing area?
- The instrument processing area should be as far away as possible from the dental chairs
- Store sterile packets, trays, and cassettes enclosed cabinets or drawers
- Do not process instruments or handle sterile packages during client care
- Proper placement of signage - e. G. Contaminated items only, clean items only, sterile items only, etc