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KMID : 0355420240480010003
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Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
2024 Volume.48 No. 1 p.3 ~ p.8
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Effects of waterline flushing and related factors in dental units on bacterial counts in dental water
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Kim Geun-Yeong
Park Eun-Young
Sakong Joon
Kim Eun-kyong
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Abstract
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Objectives: Water discharged from waterlines in dental units can cause cross-infection amongdental workers and patients by various mechanisms. Therefore, we analyzed the bacterial counts inthe water of dental unit chair waterlines, according to waterline flushing and related factors.
Methods: A total of 58 dental hospitals located in a metropolitan city participated in this study between September 2019 and January 2020. Water was collected from a high-speed handpiece anda three-way syringe of a dental unit chair and transported to the experimental lab within 4 hours;bacterial plating colony counting was performed after culturing for 72 hours. In addition, a surveywas conducted with questions on the characteristics of hospitals, waterline flushing, and relatedfactors, such as water purification systems, regular filter replacement, and backflow preventionequipment.
Results: The bacterial count in the water of the dental handpiece and three-way syringe in theinstitutions that performed waterline flushing was lower than that in the institutions that did not(P<0.001). When waterline flushing was performed on dental handpieces, the bacterial countwas found to be lower when regular filter replacement and backflow prevention equipmentwere combined. In addition, disinfection of waterlines had a significant effect on the bacterialcount when performed together with waterline flushing. However, for the three-way syringe,when waterline flushing was performed, no factors significantly affected the bacterial count.
Conclusions: To reduce microbial contamination of dental water, flushing of dental unit waterlinescombined with regular filter replacement, backflow prevention equipment, and disinfection of waterlines may be effective in dental hospitals.
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KEYWORD
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Bacteria, Dental hygienists, Dental unit waterlines, Flushing
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