Dental office contamination during dental treatment

Abstract

Presently, dental office contamination is a very important problem during the dental treatment of patients who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus. So, we examined how many oral bacteria were splashed around a dental chair when we used the air turbine for five minutes. By the results of this study, it was recognized that a considerable number of bacteria was splashed around the dental chair, particularly on the breast of the patient. And the goggles of the dentist were also contaminated by the oral bacteria. Accordingly, when a dentist treats patients who carry the HIV or the hepatitis B virus, he will be contaminated by these pathogenic factors. It is well-known that the dentist is contaminated by hepatitis B virus more frequently than the other people are. Consequently, we considered that dental treatment might bring about hospital infections, such as by the HIV and hepatitis B virus.