SOP of Dental Hospital Infection Control

SOP of Dental Hospital Infection Control

Desired Outcome

To prevent cross infection among the patient, belongings & the staff.

Measurement

In a dental clinic, the patient’s saliva, dental plaque, blood, pus, and crevicular fluid are aerosolized and spattered. Microorganisms are always mixed with these body materials and they cause infectious and transmissible diseases, starting from the most common, i.e common cold ,to hepatitis, and AIDS.

By adhering to some basic procedures, the dental staff can safe guard their own health as well as patient’s health and prevent cross infections.

PROCEDURE  

Barrier techniques

●    Gloves must be worn when skin contact with body fluids, mucous membranes or contaminated items and surfaces is anticipated. Between patients, the gloves must be removed and hands must be washed and re-gloved. Latex or vinyl gloves should be used for patient examinations and procedures.

● Heavy rubber (utility) gloves are meant to be used while cleaning instruments and environmental surfaces.

●      Hand washing.

●    Hands should be washed at the start of the day, before gloving, after removal of gloves and after touching any contaminated surface.

●      Hand washing with water and plain soap is adequate for patient examination and non surgical procedures.

●        For surgical procedures, an anti-microbial hand scrub should be used

●   Face masks protect the oral and nasal mucous from body fluid spatters. They should be changed when visibly soiled or wet.

●        Protective eye wear is indicated to shield the eyes from spatters.

●      Protective clothing. Aprons, either reusable or disposable, must be worn in the dental clinic. They should be changed when visibly soiled or penetrated by fluids and they should not be worn outside the work area.

Limiting contamination can be done by three methods

●        Proper patient positioning

●        Use of high volume evacuation

●        Use of rubber dam. Sterilization and disinfection are the basic steps in instrument processing

Decontamination of instruments and equipments

●        All instruments contaminated with oral and other body fluids must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized after use.

●      The three stages towards decontamination process ie pre sterilization cleaning, sterilization, and storage to be followed.

●        Hand cleaning of instruments should be done by dipping in detergent and water or only water and using a kitchen type brush, which is to be autoclaved at regular intervals.

●        After removing from water put it in D-125 solution followed by ultrasonic cleaning.

●        For Sterilization, the method of choice is AUTOCLAVING.

●        The instruments should be placed in the autoclave to allow free circulation of steam.

●        Avoid overloading of autoclave chamber.

●        The instruments such as hand pieces which should not come in contact with steam should be wrapped properly or kept in pouches.

●   Single used or disposable items like saliva ejectors, needles, cartridges matrix bands, impression trays etc to be discarded strictly after single use.

Instrument storage

●        Sterilized instruments should be stored in dry and covered condition for ex in trays with lid.

●        Pouches to be used for storing infrequently used instruments

Decontamination of impression materials and appliances

●        Immediately on removal from the mouth the impression should be rinsed under running water to remove saliva, blood and debris till it is clean.

●        Then it should be disinfected as per the manufacturer’ instructions.

●        It should be rinsed again in water before sending to the laboratory.

Surface cleaning and disinfection

●        Surfaces of the dental units and its parts, x’ray assembly etc to be wrapped with cling films and changed between procedures.

●        Uncovered surfaces to be wiped clean with disinfectant after every procedure.

●        Aspirators, drains, spittoons should be cleaned after every session with detergent / disinfectant.

Cleaning and disinfection of work surface

Work surface to be cleaned regularly with detergent and wiped with disinfectant regularly in between procedures.

Cleaning of floor

This is done with the help of disinfectant before and after the procedure.

Disposal of clinical waste

●        All wastes to be segregated into clinical and non clinical waste.

●        Sharp wastes like needles and blades etc are to be stored in puncture proof container before disposal. Needles should be destroyed with help of needle destroyer at the end of all procedures.

●        Blood spillage if occur should be handled immediately by covering with a disposable towel which is then treated with sodium hypochlorite solution.