Study on adequacy of sterilization of air-water syringe tips.

This study examined the adequacy of sterilization of air-water syringe (AWS) tips following contamination during routine dental care treatment procedures. Although the internal chambers of most AWS tips were determined to be contaminated following use, no residual microbes were detected following autoclave sterilization of the AWS tips used during patient treatment procedures. Therefore, AWS tips apparently are readily heat sterilizable by conventional methods following clinical usage.