Dev Anugeet K, Gupta Aakash, Dalai Sasmita
Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Baba Jaswant Singh Dental College, Hospital and Research Institute, Ludhiana, IND.
Dentistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, Bathinda, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Jun 5;16(6):e61758. doi: 10.7759/cureus.61758. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Aerosols generated during dental procedures have taken the forefront of discussion in dentistry. Due to the nature of their work, dental professionals face a significant risk of exposure to various biological hazards, such as saliva, blood, aerosols, and droplets. Aerosols, which are tiny particles with a diameter of less than 50µm, have a unique property that allows them to stay suspended in the air for extended periods. This is primarily due to their small size and lightweight nature which makes them highly susceptible to air currents and prevents them from quickly settling down. As a result, these aerosols can linger in the atmosphere, creating a potential risk for respiratory infections.
The aim is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of rubber dams in preventing aerosols generated cross-contamination.
This in-vivo experimental study comprised 60 individuals who were suggested for root canal treatment in the mandibular first permanent molar tooth. The passive air sampling technique using "settle plates" was applied to investigate microbial fallout during access opening with and without rubber dam application. Sheep blood agar plates were used to do the colony forming unit (CFU) count. All patients were randomly divided into two groups comprising 30 patients each based on usage of rubber dam application or not, i.e., Group I: Without rubber dam application and Group II: With rubber dam application.
Using a rubber dam while performing an endodontic procedure significantly impacts decreased aerosol generation at 0.5-m and 2-m distances than its counterpart with a p-value < 0.01.
Using a rubber dam during endodontic procedures reduces the likelihood of aerosol generation, thereby decreasing the risk of cross-contamination and lowering the susceptibility of dental professionals to respiratory illnesses.
牙科治疗过程中产生的气溶胶已成为牙科领域讨论的焦点。由于工作性质，牙科专业人员面临着接触各种生物危害的重大风险，如唾液、血液、气溶胶和飞沫。气溶胶是直径小于50微米的微小颗粒，具有独特的特性，使其能够长时间悬浮在空气中。这主要是由于它们的体积小、重量轻，使其极易受到气流影响，无法迅速沉降。因此，这些气溶胶会在大气中 linger，增加呼吸道感染的潜在风险。
评估并比较橡皮障在预防气溶胶产生交叉污染方面的效果。
这项体内实验研究包括60名被建议对下颌第一恒磨牙进行根管治疗的个体。采用使用“沉降平板”的被动空气采样技术，调查在开髓时使用和不使用橡皮障情况下的微生物沉降情况。使用羊血琼脂平板进行菌落形成单位（CFU）计数。所有患者根据是否使用橡皮障随机分为两组，每组30例患者，即：第一组：不使用橡皮障；第二组：使用橡皮障。
在进行牙髓治疗时使用橡皮障，与不使用橡皮障相比，在0.5米和2米距离处显著减少气溶胶产生，p值<0.01。
在牙髓治疗过程中使用橡皮障可降低气溶胶产生的可能性，从而降低交叉污染的风险，并降低牙科专业人员患呼吸道疾病的易感性。
