When patients return home from the dentist, they should be healthier, not sick
First, the dentist performs the procedure in the patient's mouth. Even though we know that in a person's mouth there are lots of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. And the mouth itself is the main entry point for microorganisms to enter the human body.
Second, water splashes (droplets) and water turning into foam (aerosol) cannot be avoided because of the presence of high-speed tools such as burs and scalers. However, this aerosol contains body fluids which can contain disease. And if not controlled, it can become a source of disease spread.
When a dentist touches a patient's mouth, his tools are exposed to the disease in the patient (of course if the patient is sick). So when we touch the next patient's mouth, we have the potential to spread the disease to this patient. This is what we often refer to as cross-contamination. Namely the spread of disease from one individual to another through contaminated objects. Therefore, I take the sterilization process at the Aesthetics Dental Care dental clinic very seriously. We cannot underestimate the process of sterilizing equipment because disease transmission can easily occur.
Currently many people are just excited because of the Covid-19 pandemic,
But you need to know that there are also many infectious viruses and bacteria that have been around for a long time and can cause disease. Let's take the example of influenza. Most Indonesians think that flu is a common disease that can be treated with medicines on the market. Easy. However…
Try this scenario. When you go to the dentist, you catch the flu virus from the patient who was treated before you. You may not get sick because your body's antibodies are strong. Meanwhile, it turns out that you accidentally infected your child with the virus you carried. And your child suddenly gets sick. Fever, cough, cold, so I can't sleep and can't go to school.
I am a mother of 3 children, I know how sad and how difficult it is if a child gets sick. Not to mention if you are a working parent. The last thing you want to happen is for your child to get sick.
Therefore, as a dentist and mother, I have one principle: Every patient who comes to the ADC dental clinic when they go home must be healthier, not sick. I'll tell you in more detail...
Dental Clinic Sterilization Standards are Very Important
On average, dentists use 10 tools when examining your teeth. Starting from burs, handpieces, mouth mirrors, diagnostic instruments, and so on. During the procedure, these tools are all exposed in the patient's mouth. Especially if there are invasive procedures such as preparation (drilling), tartar cleaning, and extraction or surgery. These actions, especially if there is blood flowing, can transmit various infectious diseases including Hepatitis, TB, and even HIV.
Therefore, at ADC we have a sterilization and disinfection standard which we call OneCare. Why OneCare? Because it's our Number One priority . In the application, we use the instruments only after going through one sterilization cycle. Between patient breaks, we have to carry out one disinfection cycle on surfaces and rooms. During the procedure, our patients use a single-use protective cover . This is a protective layer for the parts that doctors and teams touch.
Clean Table Policy
Intervention actions at high speed will produce aerosols that can float several meters. Therefore, we implement a clean table policy where there are no items allowed on the dental unit table before and after the procedure.
During the procedure, all materials used by the doctor and placed on the dental unit table must be thrown away (if they are disposable). As for instruments, they must be sterilized even if they are not used at all during the procedure.
During Covid-19…
During Covid-19 we use additional protection, such as Personal Protective Equipment worn by doctors and nurses. We change the PPE we use for each patient. Why do you have to change?
Because even though our medical personnel are protected. We are aware that the outside of the PPE we wear can be contaminated by droplets from previous patients. Therefore, we have to replace it after every procedure to avoid transmitting viruses and bacteria from one patient to another.
We also do UV Radiation After completing the patient's treatment, to clean the air in the clinic room. And finally, we provide sufficient distance between patients, especially if there is an invasive procedure on the previous patient.
Protect Yourself and Your Family
Personally, I want to urge you to protect yourself and your family. Not only during this pandemic, but after this is all over. I must inform you that dental care includes procedures that have a risk of contamination. Make sure you are selective and take care of yourself, especially if you have children who are still school age.
Please stay safe & healthy. Drg. Grace Prasetyo