High-Speed Dental Instruments: An Investigation of Protein-Contaminated Dental Handpieces with the Bicinchoninic Acid Assay in Dental Offices in Styria, Austria

Michael Schalli (), Birgit Kogler, Tillo Miorini, Michael Gehrer and Franz F. Reinthaler
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Michael Schalli: Department for Water-Hygiene and Micro-Ecology, D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Birgit Kogler: Department for Water-Hygiene and Micro-Ecology, D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Tillo Miorini: Institute for Applied Hygiene, 8045 Graz, Austria
Michael Gehrer: Styrian Hospital Corporation KAGes, Hospital Leoben, 8700 Leoben, Austria
Franz F. Reinthaler: Department for Water-Hygiene and Micro-Ecology, D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Due to permanent contact with bodily secretions such as blood and saliva, the dental workplace poses a high risk of infection for patients as well as for personnel. High-speed dental instruments are still considered one of the major hygienic risks, as the high-speed rotation of the attachments leads to the retraction of infectious material from patients’ oral cavities. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which dental handpieces are contaminated after use. Spray-water samples were taken from different handpieces used in seven dental offices and protein concentrations were measured photometrically. In the first part of the study, samples were collected from each handpiece before and after the treatment of the patients. Additionally, the changes in protein concentration after consecutive treatments in which the same high-speed dental instrument was used were investigated. The results demonstrated measurable protein concentrations in 91.2% of a total of 398 samples, and 96.4% of the spray-water samples taken after treatment showed a discrepancy from the initial measured protein concentration. In 68.4% an increase in protein concentration was observed, whereas in 27.9% a decrease was measured. In conclusion, the internal contamination of high-speed dental instruments frequently occurs in daily usage and consequently may lead to the transmission of infectious agents by flushing the contaminated water out of the spray water tubes. Moreover, it must be pointed out that internal cleansing of handpieces is insufficient and that a final mechanical disinfection is indispensable.

Keywords: dental instruments; disinfection; decontamination; bicinchoninic acid; protein detection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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