Regulations / Sterilization Flashcards
What is recommendations for DENTAL UNIT WATER QUALITY in Dental Settings?
All dental units should use systems that treat water to meet drinking water standards (i.e., ≤ 500 CFU/ML of heterotrophic water bacteria).
Independent reservoirs—or water-bottle systems—alone are not sufficient.
Dental unit waterlines (i.e., plastic tubing that carries water to the high-speed handpiece, air/water syringe, and ultrasonic scaler) promote bacterial growth and development of biofilm due to the presence of:
- Long narrow-bore tubing
- Inconsistent flow rates
- Potential for retraction of oral fluids.
What is used to sterilize alginate?
NaOCl 🕙
There are two common methods to disinfect dental materials:
(1) IMMERSION and (2) SPRAYING.
Alginate can be effectively disinfected by three types of disinfecting agents by spraying method, although Epimax (Peroxide) showed the highest disinfection action after 10 minutes compared to other agents.
Rinse the impression under gently running room temperature tap water and shake off the excess. Place the wet impression in a plastic bag, seal, and allow to remain for the amount of contact time recommended by the disinfectant’s manufacturer. (For SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE, minimum contact time is TEN minutes.) IMMERSION in 1:10 (5.25) dilution sodium hypochlorite or iodophor for specified time period.
Intermediate vs high level disinfectant
STERILIZATION:
CRITICAL items (will ENTER tissue or vascular system or blood will flow THROUGH them)
DISINFECTION:
HIGH-level (SEMI-CRITICAL items; [except dental] will come in CONTACT with MUCOUS membrane or NON-INTACT skin)
INTERMEDIATE-level (some semicritical items and noncritical items)
* Use intermediate-level disinfectants when the SURFACE is visibly contaminated with BLOOD or other potentially infectious materials.*
LOW-level (noncritical items; will come in contact with intact skin)
What is a housekeeping surface vs. clinical contact surface?
The CDC considers environmental surfaces to be one of two types: housekeeping and clinical contact.
HOUSEKEEPING surfaces would be floors, walls, and sinks.
CLINICAL CONTACT surfaces are anything coming in contact with contaminated instruments, devices, hands, or gloves.
These surfaces, which include switches, reusable containers of dental materials, countertops, and telephone handles, can be directly contaminated from patient materials either by direct spray or spatter generated during dental procedures.
The CDC notes that if barriers are not used, surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected between patients by using an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant that contains an HIV and HBV claim on the label such as a low-level disinfectant or a tuberculocidal claim (an intermediate-level disinfectant).
What are the differences between low, intermediate, and high-level disinfectants?
a LOW-LEVEL disinfectant is a liquid chemical germicide registered with EPA as a hospital disinfectant. OSHA requires low-level hospital disinfectants also to have a label claim for potency against HIV and HBV if used for disinfecting CLINICAL CONTACT surfaces.
An INTERMEDIATE-level disinfectant is a liquid chemical germicide registered with EPA as a hospital disinfectant and with a label claim of potency as TUBERCULOCIDAL.
The way to determine if a product is intermediate level is by whether it has a claim as a tuberculocidal disinfectant on the product label.
A HIGH-level disinfectant inactivates vegetative BACTERIA, MYCOBACTERIA, FUNGI, and VIRUSES but not necessarily high numbers of bacterial spores. 🚫 The FDA further defines a high-level disinfectant as a sterilant applied for a shorter contact time.
How should surfaces be cleaned?
The CDC has a simple two-step direction: Clean, and then disinfect.
Clean ➡️ Disinfect
Cleaning should precede all disinfection and sterilization processes.
it should involve REMOVAL of DEBRIS as well as organic and inorganic contamination.
Debris can interfere with a disinfectant’s EFFECTIVENESS, which is why cleaning first is essential.
* ALCOHOLS are POOR cleaners and evaporate rapidly, so they may not be the best choice.*
What is the best way to prevent a TB infection in a health care provider?
😷
N95 respirator mask 😷
Blocks about 95% of particles that are 0.3 microns (very small particles) in size
What is the MINIMAL percentage of ALCOHOL in hand sanitizer?
60%
To be effective, hand sanitizer needs to have a strength of at least 60 percent alcohol.
Since you’re going to have to mix your sanitizer with ALOE VERA GEL in order to STABILIZE it and protect your hands, most recipes suggest that the mixture contain at least two-thirds 99 percent isopropyl alcohol and one-third gel.
A pacifier is required to have what two features?
🛡
- SHIELD 🛡 must be 1.5 inches across so infant cannot place entire thing in mouth
- Must have ventilation holes
Sodium Hypochlorite is what level disinfectant?
INTERMEDIATE
5.25%–6.15% sodium hypochlorite (see glossary), usually called household bleach.
Sodium hypochlorite is the most commonly used CRA in healthcare facilities as a hard surface and environmental disinfectant.
Sodium hypochlorite and related solutions rapidly lose effectiveness in the presence of organic matter (e.g., blood, feces, tissue). Although chlorine compounds are biocidal to a broad spectrum of microorganisms, most CRA preparations are not intended for HLD or sterilization of medical devices because of their highly corrosive effects.
