Some of our patients have asked questions about biofilm and dental unit waterlines, and I want to take this opportunity to provide you with some information on the subject.
In many common devices which transport water, such as shower heads, faucets, and drinking fountains, biofilm is formed within those devices--much like plaque is formed on your teeth. Biofilm is a thin layer of microorganisms which have attached to surfaces. As fluids flow along the surface, some of these microorganisms detach from the surface and are carried away by the flow of the fluid. Just as biofilms exists within the plumbing in your home or office, biofilm is also present in the waterlines leading to the handpieces used in many dental procedures.
Even though the vast majority of the microorganisms are harmless and the evidence of harm to patients is questionable, dentists are very concerned with preventing patient contact with biofilm. To do this dentists follow procedures recommended by the America Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control:
Flush the waterlines for at least two minutes at the beginning of each work day.
Activate handpieces after each patient to flush out air and water in the lines, followed by sterilization of the handpieces.
Flushing the waterlines is just one of many precautions we take in order to ensure our office is a safe place for patients. Other standard infection control procedures which we follow include:
Wearing protective gloves, masks, glasses or shields, and gowns or coats
Cleaning and sterilizing all dental instruments
Cleaning and disinfecting all treatment areas
Regularly testing the effectiveness of the sterilizers
Properly disposing of wasted
Safety and infection control in the dental office will always be a high priority for us. We are committed to improve the quality of care we provide and will continually seek new products and follow research which provides us with better ways to practice dentistry.
Please feel comfortable in asking my office staff questions about any aspect of your treatment and the procedures followed in this office. I believe an informed patient is the best type of patient we can have.
Sincerely yours,
Emilio E. Garcia D.D.S