In the first part of this article the author looked at an historical perspective of Infection Control with an overview of the plaque and pestilence and the scientists involved in the advancements in science, technology and medicine.

 By the middle of the nineteenth century, dentistry in the United States was transforming itself from a trade
into a profession based on science and technology. Over the next century, the science and practice of dentistry made great advances in techniques and materials. Infection control practices however changed little.

 The Infection Control article series, that will be featured in the next three issues of Spectrum Dialogue will focus on the historical perspective of Infection Control with an over view of the plague and pestilence (part one). In part two the author will report on how Infection Control came of age in medicine while in part three, we will read about the modern dental infection control revolution and how sanitation entered the modern era.

Dental impression materials need to be rinsed in water and disinfected immediately after making use of an
approved surface disinfectant or immersion disinfectant, to control transfer of infectious materials from saliva
and blood to casts and to dental healthcare workers.1, 2, 3, 4
The ADA has recommended that impressions made be decontaminated.5, 6, 7, 8 Make reference to CDC
Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Care Settings 2003, Dental Laboratory section, pages 33 & 34.16 There are many commonly used disinfectants in dentistry.9 Studies have shown that bacterial and viral contaminants can be effectively controlled by disinfection.10, 11, 12
Disinfection process may sometimes affect material properties of impression materials.13,14 The Council on
Dental Materials and Devices has methods for testing surface detail and dimensional stability of materials, and
these test methods with greater samples can be used to study the effects of disinfectants on elastomeric impression materials.15

Simplicity of ideas, truth or action is unfortunately what we collectively have been seeking in recent years. Whether it is the tensions in the Middle East, European integration or a new diet, we want a distilled, concise result that is easy to understand. Our television news comes to us in twenty-second bites and our newspapers are dominated by headlines. This also applies to our professional world. In asepsis we think only about killing microbes and often about little else. I propose that it is time to expand our knowledge and regard diverse factors such as personal safety, economics and environmental responsibility as important.

Essential Concepts in Infection Control

1. Circle of Infection

Microbes are spread by air current, water, hands, lips, blood aerosol and saliva that come in contact with surfaces and instruments. Infection is transmitted by a sequence of events commonly called the “chain of infection” in the “cycle or circle of infection.”

A complete change or separation of every item that comes in contact with each human or animal visit includes:

• Instruments – disinfect, clean, package, sterilize
• Barriers – remove and discard safely-gloves, masks, bibs
• Hands – disinfect with hand gel, wash when soiled
• Surfaces – disinfect all touch and aerosol surfaces

Simplicity of ideas, truth or action is unfortunately what we collectively have been seeking in recent years. Whether it is the tensions in the Middle East, European integration or a new diet, we want a distilled, concise result that is easy to understand. Our television news comes to us in twenty-second bites and our newspapers are dominated by headlines. This also applies to our professional world. In asepsis we think only about killing microbes and often about little else. I propose that it is time to expand our knowledge and regard diverse factors such as personal safety, economics and environmental responsibility as important.

Essential Concepts in Infection Control

1. Circle of Infection

Microbes are spread by air current, water, hands, lips, blood aerosol and saliva that come in contact with surfaces and instruments. Infection is transmitted by a sequence of events commonly called the “chain of infection” in the “cycle or circle of infection.” A complete change or separation of every item that comes in contact with each human or animal visit includes:

• Instruments – disinfect, clean, package, sterilize
• Barriers – remove and discard safely-gloves, masks, bibs
• Hands – disinfect with hand gel, wash when soiled
• Surfaces – disinfect all touch and aerosol surfaces Tubing is a reusable device; cleaning and disinfecting all water supply and evacuation lines should be part of the infection control regimen.

Infection does not always lead to disease. We are constantly being infected by many factors. Our immune system is on constant alert to prevent infection from becoming a disease. The time from infection to the onset of symptoms from hours to years:

Salmonella: 6-48 hours
Hepatitis B: 50-150 days
Tuberculosis: 6 months – 2 years
HIV: 3-10 years
Anthrax: 7 days