[Microbiological contamination in the dental office and its possible decrease]

A microbiological analysis of the environment after dental work is presented in this paper. Detection of oral streptococci in the air is used as an index of the presence of salivary aerosol in consequence of the use of dental tools at high spin. This salivary aerosol may be considered a very important cause for the transmission of infectious diseases in the dental surgery. The real efficacy of a tool for the production of a dry aerosol of phenols or clorexidine with the purpose of environmental disinfection, is evaluated. Among possible parameters has been considered both the spray ability of the tool and the bactericidal activity of the aerosol at variable length from the source. Data here presented demonstrate the real utility of such an instrument for the disinfection of the dental surgery to be applied daily at the end of the work, not only in reducing environment microbial counts but also in totally eliminating salivary microorganisms.