Saliva serves many purposes; it lubricates food and tissues, dilutes and clears sugars, protects tissues, clears dietary acids through swallowing, neutralizes and buffers acids, and balances the demineralization-remineralization process of teeth ..read more

The BFE of sterilization wraps indicates how well the material can filter out bacteria, which is crucial for preventing the transmission of infectious agents during dental procedures. Higher BFE values signify better filtration efficiency, meaning the wrap is more effective at preventing bacterial contamination ..read more

Spaulding’s classifications are a system used to categorize medical devices and equipment based on the risk of infection associated with their use. This system was created by Dr. Earle H. Spaulding in the mid-20 century and has since become a standard in healthcare settings, including dental offices. There are three main classifications in the Spaulding system: critical, semi-critical, and non-critical. items are those that come into contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin but d ..read more

Sterilization pouches serve as a crucial barrier system designed to maintain the sterility of medical or dental instruments and equipment until they ..read more

As we embark on this exploration ..read more

Risk management deduction is best executed by posing the ‘right’ questions.  Simple questions that allow the narrowing of the problem at hand. There is no magic number of questions, but rather realizing it can take as many questions as needed.  On the topic of instrument reprocessing what questions could be asked to see the risks, evaluate if your safety nets have holes and decide where to add or repair safety nets?  Let’s break it down ..read more

Face masks have become a common sight for the human population, especially since the Covid-19 global pandemic hit in 2020. At the beginning of the pandemic, public health agencies were hesitant to recommend the consistent use of face masks. The general public was also uncertain of what to believe. To mask or not to mask, this was the question. However, after the World Health Organization acknowledged that the virus could be airborne and linger in the air for hours, masking as a weapon against the coronavirus became a preventive measure to keep virus transmission in check. It was not unusual to ..read more

Dental handpieces contact mucous membranes and oral fluids. These instruments have not been associated with disease transmission at this time; however, high-speed and low-speed handpieces can retract oral fluids into the internal workings of the handpiece.   DNA of viruses has been found inside both highspeed handpieces and prophy angles. If not cleaned and sterilized correctly, this debris could later be , or cordless, handpieces are considered semi-critical dental devices that must be reprocessed appropriately to avoid harming the device, causing it to operate ineffectively, or red ..read more

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to recurrent caries around dental fillings, let us explore the intricate dynamics involved in this process. Five key elements play a crucial role in the development of recurrent ..read more

Let's explore this journey through time, tracing the milestones and pivotal moments that have shaped modern dentistry into the dynamic and technologically driven field it is today, along with the advancements and innovations of the future.  ..read more