Welcome to my site! My name is Verity. I work as a receptionist in a dentist office. Every day for the past 20 years, I have come in to the office, worked on paperwork, and greeted patients. I love my job, because it has helped me meet a lot of really wonderful people. I have seen families grow up! But an added benefit from my job is that I have also picked up some small information about dentistry. I'm not one of the dentists, but I do know quite a bit about simple procedures and basic dental hygiene. Hopefully this blog can teach you something, but remember to always consult with your actual dentist for real professional advice!
About Verity Longpar
How Dentists Prevent Cross Infection
Eleanor Crawford
Are you one of those people who fear going to the dentist for fearing of picking up an infection? If you are, then you should know that the chances of this happening are very small. Your dentist has measures in place to prevent complications. Here are some of the measures dentists use to prevent cross infection:
Fresh Gloves
The use of gloves is second nature to your dentist. The dentist uses a new glove for each and every patient. In fact, for dental procedures that require other protective wear such as face masks, the dentist will adorn fresh ones too. Additionally, the gloves are kept in a sterile glove compartment to minimize any risks of the gloves picking up germs in the storage place.
Observing Hand Hygiene
Since it's his or her hands that do most of the work, hand hygiene is of top concern for every dentist's when handling patients. The dentist keeps his or her hands clean by
- Washing their hands before wearing and after removing the gloves
- Before handling sterilized equipment
- After washing dental tools and equipment
- Keeping the hand washing basins separate from other basins
- Using hands-free soap dispensers
- Disinfecting their hands
Sterilizing All Equipment
Your dentist sterilizes all equipment that he or she uses. He or she uses chemical-vapor sterilizers, dry-heat sterilizers, and other appropriate equipment for this. All tools and instruments, such as dental drills, must be sterilized before they are used on the next patient. Therefore, you shouldn't be fearful that the drill will introduce germs to your body; it's probably cleaner than your mouth. In fact, dentists even sterilize surfaces such as table tops so that they don't contaminate the dental equipment.
Keeping the Office Clean
Every professional dentist keeps his or her entire office clean; including the areas you aren't likely to come into contact with. This is why you aren't likely to find clutter in a typical dentist's office. It's also why dental offices use easy-to-clean materials, such as linoleum, on the floors as opposed to those that attract dirt, like rugs.
If you aren't still sure of the cleanliness of your dentist's office, then all you have to do is to ask him or her about it. A dentist like Arrowhead Family Dentistry will be more than glad to explain to you all these and other measures for preventing cross infection. After all, it shows that you are a careful patient.
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