Aerosols Contamination in the Dental Practice Following Everyday Procedures: An Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Dental Aerosol Research
• Infection Control in Dentistry
• Microbiology

Background:

• Dental procedures can generate aerosols containing microorganisms.
• Understanding airborne bacterial load is crucial for infection control in dental settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and quantify airborne bacterial load following various dental procedures.
• To compare bacterial contamination levels across different dental techniques.

Main Methods:

• Assessed air contamination using a wet cyclone collector during 10-minute sampling periods.
• Evaluated seven aerosol-generating dental procedures, including cavity preparations with different evacuation systems.
• Quantified viable bacterial counts via Adenosine TriPhosphate (ATP) measurement.

Main Results:

• Cavity preparation with a turbine and Low Volume Evacuator (LVE) showed the highest significant increase in airborne bacteria (7.38 CFUs/L).
• Turbine with High Volume Evacuator (HVE) and red hand-piece showed non-significant increases.
• Air polishing, ultrasonic, manual instrumentation, and rubber cup polishing did not elevate bacterial counts above baseline.

Conclusions:

• Routine professional oral hygiene procedures do not significantly increase airborne bacterial contamination.
• Cavity excavation utilizing LVE poses a substantial risk for increased airborne bacterial load.