You don’t want to come into our office and have a dental procedure performed without sterile tools. Otherwise, you could get very sick, as the mouth bacteria can easily affect your health and immune systems – orally and physically. The following information goes over dental sterilization and shows why it is necessary.
HOW WE STERILIZE DENTAL TOOLS
Before we sterilize dental tools, we need to make sure we protect ourselves with personal protective equipment or PPE. PPE consists of face masks, safety eyewear, and gloves and smocks that safeguard us from microbial infection or passing it on to our patients. The gloves we use are both chemical and puncture resistant and can be disinfected inside a steam autoclave when they are not used. Utility gloves are variously sized so we can comply with sterilization methods.
When we have put on the proper PPE, we pre-soak dental instruments or use sprays to break up residue and buildup. We follow up by placing dental instruments in an autoclave for sterilization. Cleaning before sterilization may be directed to the use of ultrasonic cleaners or automated washers. We also monitor the cleaning to ensure its effectiveness. Before sterilization in the autoclave, we dry the instruments. We also package them before loading them carefully.
HOW INSTRUMENTS ARE LOADED IN THE AUTOCLAVE STEAMER
We carefully load the instrument for sterilization, making sure we don’t load too many at a time. Doing so may prevent the sterilizing agent from doing its job. By taking a methodical and careful approach, we make it easier to serve our patients with the best level of care.
Do you need to set an appointment for a cleaning or an exam? If so, we can take your call just about any time. Contact use today to schedule an appointment for a consultation.