Hand Hygiene Measures Dentists Use To Prevent Cross Infection
Posted on: 30 July 2015
Some people are so afraid of germs that they see them everywhere – including the dentist's office. It's true that cross infection (transfer of germs from one person to another directly or indirectly) is possible, but the chances of it happening are slim. In fact, dentists go to great lengths to keep their hands free of germs. This is great because, apart from the dental instruments, the dentist's hands may also touch your body.
Apart from wearing gloves, there are several other hand hygiene measures your dentist uses to prevent cross infection. Here are a few examples:
Frequent Washing
Your dentist washes his or her hands all the time. A professional dentist washes his or her hands after seeing a patient, before putting on gloves, after removing gloves and even after washing dental equipment. All these precautions reduce the risk of picking up germs and transferring them to your body.
Disinfecting the Hands
Since mere washing with water may not be enough, the dentist uses disinfectants to kill any remnant germs. Antibacterial gels or rubs are the most common disinfection agents used by dentists. These must be used before adorning gloves and after taking them off.
Hands-Free Soap Dispensers
Anything can harbor germs, including the soap dispensers. For this reason, your dentist takes care not to touch these dispensers during your dental checkup or treatment. This is why the dispensers are wall-mounted.
Separate Basins for Hand Washing
In order to reduce the risks of cross infections, it's important for the dentist's hands to be as isolated as possible from other objects that may contaminate them. Therefore, in the spirit of isolating things, a typical dentist keeps his or her hand washing basins separate from other basins such as those used for instruments.
Short Fingernails
Fingernails can harbor germs, even if the hands are clean. Therefore, your dentist keeps his or her fingernails short, does not use artificial fingernails and does not apply nail varnish either. Additionally, the dentist does not wear other adornments such as finger rings; in fact, dentists who wear wedding rings usually remove them before performing dental work.
These are just a few examples of what your dentist does to ensure that his or her hands are germs free. Therefore, you shouldn't use the risk of cross infection as an excuse for not seeking dental treatment or consultation. If you still aren't convinced, then why don't you talk to your family dentist about it the next time you meet?
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