There is “very sparse literature” available on hospital-acquired infections in dentistry, said Dilip G. Naik, Associate Dean, Professor of Periodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, here on Sunday.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 17th annual State conference on ‘Health care-associated infections: clean, care, control’, organised at Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Attavar.
Most dentists’ clinics were air-conditioned, but were not always well-ventilated, Dr. Naik said, and added that the aerosols used for treatment might lead to infections. The spread of Hepatitis B and HIV were a major concern for dentists, he said. M. Venkataraya Prabhu, Dean, KMC, and chief guest, said that microbiologists played an important role in the field of medicine. They had changed the face of medicine.
Later, Dr. Naik told The Hindu that dentists dealt directly with patients whose oral cavity was susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. They could spread through the aerosol spray cans that the dentists used. The aerosol can was passed on from patient to patient, and also rested on inanimate objects. Because most dentists’ clinics were air-conditioned, the aerosol particles could remain suspended in the stale air, he said.
Another possible cause of infection in a dentist’s clinic was the tube that was used to introduce water into the patient’s mouth. The top of the tube was cleaned but not the entire tube. It was important to clean the entire tube as ‘biofilms’ could form on the insides of the tube . Infected fluids from one patient’s mouth could remain in the tube and might infect the next patient. “Dentists must practise a pre-surgical rinse (for the patient), which could curtail the spreading of such infections to an extent,” he said.
Though dentists took precautions, little literature was available on cross-infections, on how much infection was spreading , and on the spreading of Hepatitis B and HIV (in such environments). Doctors also had to guard themselves against accidental injuries by needles. They must use gloves and masks and standard autoclaves to handle the equipment, he said.He said that although medical students could get information online, “individual experience is most important”. The meet was attended by 300 delegates, said the organisers.
