Summary
The study was conducted in 40 undergraduate students of both sexes, who were in the 2nd year of the 2017 year enrolled in the Undergraduate Dentistry Program of the Universidad de La Frontera. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Clinical Hand Washing technique (CML), demonstrating the degree of efficiency and implementing improvement behaviors of the technique using Bioluminescence. This technique allows a rapid quantitative measurement of organic residues on a surface by quantifying the amount of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). For that purpose, a Luminometer, 3M™ Clean-Trace™, was used to obtain the contamination level in two key points, Interdigital Region and Hyponychium, of both hands by quantification of Relative Light Units (URL). Hand contamination prior to CML and after the development of the technique was tested in the Interdigital and Hyponychium regions of both hands, through surface ATP swab considering as Approved <250 URL and Rejected > 251 URL. Also, the level of contamination v/s sex, and approval/rejection distribution before and after the CML were tested. The approval/rejection range for pre-CML sampling at all selected locations was 35-42.5 % / 57.5-65 %, fin ding the highest contamination rate in Hyponychium in both hands. After performing the CML we obtained 90 % of approval in all sites, with a 10 % rejection rate; the highest percentage was surveyed on left hand Hyponychium. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, a descriptive analysis, test t-test for independent samples, test of homogeneity of Levene variances. A p value <0.05 was established for statistical significance. There were significant differences in analysis of the mean value, according to sampling zones and URL approval / rejection ranges, ranging from p = 0.000 to p = 0.015 (Interdigital region of left hand, post-LA TÉCNICA DE LMC). The left hand presented greater contamination in both swab areas both before and after the execution of CML. The most contaminated region was the Hyponychium, which was paradoxical, because the technique emphasizes the hygiene of this location and has better access and contact with soap and water.
KEY WORDS: bioluminescence, adenosine triphosphate, clinical handwashing, dentistry.
How to cite this article
BUSTAMANTE, F.; NUÑEZ-CONTRERAS, J.; ARELLANOVILLALON, M.; CROT, W.;NAVARRO, P. & FUENTES, R. Bioluminiscence measurement tool and analysis in clinical hand washing technique applied to dentistry. Int. J. Odontostomat., 12(2): 160-168, 2018.
