16.1
Infection Control Basics
Infection control is surrounded by rationale and infection control terminology.
Rationale for Infection Control
The rationale is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. Infection may be transmitted by patient to dental professional, dental professional to patient, or patient to patient. A pathogen is a microorganism capable of causing disease.
General routes of disease transmission are direct contact with pathogens present in saliva, blood, respiratory secretions, or lesions and indirect contact with contaminated objects or instruments. Direct contact with airborne contaminants present in spatter or aerosols of oral and respiratory fluids. For an infection to occur by one of these routes of transmission, the following conditions must be present: a susceptible host, a pathogen with sufficient infectivity and numbers to cause infection, and a portal through which the pathogen may enter the host.
Infection Control Terminology
Term |
Definition |
| Antiseptic | A substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria |
| Asepsis | The absence of pathogens or disease-causing microorganisms |
| Bloodborne Pathogen | Microorganisms present in blood that cause disease in humans |
| Disinfect | To inhibit or destroy disease-causing microorganisms through use of a chemical or physical procedure |
| Disinfection | The act of disinfecting; see Disinfect |
| Exposure incident | A specific incident involving contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from procedures performed by the dental professional |
| Infectious waste | Waste that consists of blood, blood products, contaminated sharps, or other microbiologic products |
| Occupational exposure | Contact with blood or other infectious materials involving the skin, eye, or mucous membranes that results from procedures performed by the dental professional |
| Parenteral exposure | Contact with blood or other infectious materials that results from piercing or puncturing the skin barrier |
| Sharps | Objects that can penetrate the skin such as needles and scalpels. They must be disposed of in a special sharps container. |
| Standard precautions | Measures that include a standard of care designed to protect health care personnel and patients from pathogens that can be spread by blood or any other body fluid, excretion, or secretion |
| Sterilize | The use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all pathogens, including highly resistant bacterial and fungal spores |
| Sterilization | The act of sterilizing; see Sterilize |
Guidelines for Infection Control Practices
The following are the types of guidelines to follow for infection control practices:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Hand hygiene
- Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette
- Sterilization and disinfection of instruments
- Cleaning and disinfection of dental unit and environmental surfaces
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal Protective Equipment includes wearing protective clothing, gloves, masks, and protective eyewear.
Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene and care of hands include routine hand wash, antiseptic hand wash, and antiseptic hand rub.
Respiratory Etiquette
Respiratory etiquette is designed to limit the transmission of disease spread by respiratory pathogens via droplet or airborne routes. Recommendations include signage to patients with respiratory conditions to cover their mouths and nose when sneezing, proper disposal of tissues, hand-washing after contacting respiratory secretions, and no-touch disposal receptacles.
Sterilization and Disinfection of Instruments
Critical instruments, semicritical instruments, and noncritical instruments are all part of sterilization and disinfection.
Cleaning and Disinfection of Dental Unit and Environmental Surfaces
There are intermediate-level disinfectants and low-level disinfectants.
Infection Control in Dental Imaging
Infection control in dental imaging includes procedures used before exposure, during exposure, after exposure, and for processing.
Infection Control Procedures Used Before Exposure
Preparation of the treatment area includes prepping the x-ray machine, the dental chair, the work area, and the lead apron.
Preparation of supplies and equipment includes photostimulable phosphor (PSP) sensors, digital sensors, beam alignment devices, and miscellaneous items.
Below are images of a photostimulable phosphor sensor (PSP), which is an indirect imaging sensor and needs to be scanned into a computer, and digital sensors, which are direct imaging sensors and go directly from exposure to computer images.
Preparation of the patient includes chair adjustment, headrest adjustment, lead apron, and miscellaneous objects. And preparation of the dental radiographer includes hand hygiene, gloves, mask and eyewear, and beam alignment devices.
Infection Control Procedures Used During Exposure
Infection control procedures used during exposure include drying exposed receptors, collecting exposed receptors, using beam alignment devices, and managing interruptions during exposure.
Infection Control Procedures Used After Exposure
Infection control procedures used after exposure involve the disposal of contaminated items, cleaning of beam alignment devices, handwashing, removal of lead aprons, and surface disinfection.
Infection Control Procedures Used for Digital Imaging
Procedures used for digital imaging include PSP sensors and wired sensors.
Below are images of a collection of various-sized digital dental x-ray sensors and a dental x-ray sensor partially wrapped in a protective plastic sleeve.
Practice Makes Perfect
Media Attributions
- Iannucci & Howerton: Dental Radiography Priniciples and Techn, 6th Edition, Chapter 16, CC BY-NC-ND
- Helen, R. (2017). Dentist during the surgery – stock photo [Photograph]. Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/photo/dentist-during-the-surgery-royalty-free-image/657868882?phrase=dental+PPE&adppopup=true
