Summary
In dental practice we are exposed to many microorganisms due to aerosol production. It is essential to be aware of the nature of these elements and their pathogenic potential. The purpose of this research is to determine the presence of bacterial contamination in aerosols produced during dental procedures that require the use of a high speed dental handpiece. These dental procedures were carried out by dentistry students at the dental clinic of the Universidad de La Frontera. In order to determine the presence of bacteria in aerosols, cultivation plates were used. A total of 40 samples were taken from 16 dentistry students while performing dental procedures that required the use of a high speed dental handpiece in conditions of complete isolation. Eight control plates and 32 test plates were used. Two selected areas were examined: operator´s front and patient´s chest protector, during 10 minutes. The samples were then taken to the laboratory and incubated in an oxygen atmosphere for 24 hours and subsequently in carbon dioxide for another 24 hours at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Finally the samples were microscopically analyzed. Seven control plates showed no bacterial contaminants and one showed 3UFC of Micrococcus spp. The 32 test plates were found to be positive showing diverse bacterial growth (58.874 UFC average per subject). The highest percentage of microorganisms was constituted by Bacillus spp. (28.56 %) and Bacillus Grampositivos (24.31 %), representing more than 50% of the total. The majority of the microorganisms found belong to the commensal family, although they can change into opportunistic pathogen microorganisms. Verifying that aerosols are an important source of emission of microorganisms, it is essential to comply with all biosecurity standards in order to protect the operator as well as the patient.
KEY WORDS: dental clinic environments, bacterial contamination, aerosols, turbine.
How to cite this article
BUSTAMANTE, A. M. F.; HERRERA, M. J.; FERREIRA, A. R. & RIQUELME, S. D. Analysis of Bacterial Contamination Produced by Aerosols in Dental Clinic Environments. Int. J. Odontostomat., 8(1):99-105, 2014.
