Dr. Jagdish Rohira

The dental clinic is a place where you go to get rid of your dental infections. Remember that you are not the only one, and therefore it is also a sort of 'warehouse' for microorganisms that can cause infection. The organisms are invisible, and so there have to be some measures to ensure they are not being passed from one patient to another. Needless to say, dental health care practitioners are exposed to these all the time, and are at greater risk for contracting these infections.

Ways that infection can spread in a dental clinic:

1. Inhalation of infective microbes from the air
2. Direct contact with infected material like blood, saliva, and other patient materials
3. Indirect contact of organisms through contaminated objects like instruments, equipment, or office surfaces like dental chairs
4. Sneezing, coughing, talking leading to sputtering of infected material
5. Contact of the infected hands to eyes, nose, or oral mucosa

There are some measures that a dental clinic should have in place to manage this risk. Whenever you step into a clinic, watch for these, and when in doubt, feel free to check with your dentist:

• Evaluate the Office: A tidy, uncluttered office is an indication of an office space that is easy to sterilize. A carpeted office may look nice, but it is hard to sterilize it. Tabletops that do not have too many things on them is a good sign.
• Sterilization of Instruments: Type 'B' vacuum autoclave is the preferred method of sterilizing dental instruments over Type 'N' non-vacuum autoclave. Steam sterilization requires direct contact between the saturated steam and every surface of the instrument. As this direct contact can be prevented by the presence of air in the chamber a vacuum must be present to remove the air and enable steam penetration. All pouched instruments, instruments with lumens or cavities (whether pouched or un-pouched) and porous loads (e.g. swabs or dressings) must be sterilized in a vacuum autoclave.An advantage of pouching all instruments is that they remain sterile for up to 6 months until you use them.
• Gloves: When you are on the dental chair, check where the gloves are coming from. These should be disposable ones that are pulled out from a box. Using gloves that were used earlier, even for a simple examination, are a strict no-no. Another good practice that most dentists have is to clasp the hands together to avoid the gloves coming in contact with any other surface.
• Patient Bibs / Drapes: Make sure the clinician places a tidy bib/drape before start of the procedure. A disposable bib/drape is always preferred and safer.
• Syringes: Almost all the dental clinicians use a new sterile disposable syringe is always used for administering local anesthesia. Some clinicians use same irrigation syringes in many patients. Make sure the syringes used for irrigation or disinfecting the root canals or surgical sites are new or the same used for administering local anesthesia.
• Antibiotics: For some dental procedures, there may be no need for an antibiotic but it is always good to confirm the same with the dentist.
• Waste Disposal: Keep a watch on where and how the used syringes, cotton, and other materials are thrown out. This is another tip to identify safe practices.
• A Frank Talk: It is not inappropriate to have a discussion with your dentist on how instruments are sterilized in the office and general practices followed to ensure a sterile environment. Be diplomatic, however, and do not sound accusing though!

Patients are entitled to receive services in safe, sterile environment. Thus, it is important to get your treatment in dental clinics where they follow "standard sterilization" procedures and strictly respect the "one instrument-to-one patient" rule and use disposable instruments when needed.These simple tips can help you identify sterile dental practices in the dental clinic.

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Blog by Dr Ratnika Agarwal at Smile Up Dental Care & Implant Center ,Pune .We provide Dental & Cosmetic Treatments for all age groups.

Many of us were taught how to properly brush our teeth when we were still young kids.

And, admit it or not, most of us are stuck with the same brushing method into adulthood.

Sadly, many of us also learned the improper way of brushing.

Indeed, even though we are taught the proper brushing technique, we may not often stick to it.

Did you know that brushing properly is tricky? We wish to get rid of plaque without damaging our gums and brushing too hard.

So, what are the correct ways to brush our teeth by Dr Ratnika Agarwal ?

• Brush lightly.

The teeth and gums must be brushed gently as hard brushing may cause the gums to recede and get damaged. It is advised to hold the toothbrush the same manner you hold a pen. By doing so, a lighter stroke is encouraged.

• Brush your teeth at least two times per day.

Brush in the morning and at night before you head to bed. In so doing, food particles are removed. Brushing in the morning will aid clear away the plaque that accumulated overnight. It is important to dry before you sleep because this is the period when the mouth becomes dry and it becomes easier for bacteria to attack the teeth.

• Use an extra-soft or soft-bristled toothbrush.

By means of using these types of toothbrush, the teeth and gums won’t be harmed and abraded. It matters to change your toothbrush when necessary or on a regular basis. Shredded or worn out toothbrush are no longer effective in cleaning the teeth. Be smart in choosing a toothbrush and only purchase the one that is officially approved by the American Dental Association.

• Brush your teeth for at least two minutes.

Two minutes is actually the required time to clean the teeth. This way, each tooth is thoroughly cleaned. You may consider using a timer if you are using a manual toothbrush.

• Do not brush your teeth more than 3 times per day.

Brushing twice daily is already enough. Take note that brushing too frequently can damage or erode the teeth and gums.

• Electric toothbrushes are good alternative to manual toothbrushes.

These are often recommended to people who do not often follow correct brushing techniques. In the same way, these are great options for individuals with physical limitations and find brushing a tough activity.

• Have a standard routine for brushing

It is fundamental to brush the teeth in the same order on a daily basis. The reason behind this is that this can especially aid you cover each area of the mouth. This will easily become second nature once you’re able to perform it routinely.

For instance, you may brush the outer sides of the teeth from left to right across the top, afterwards, you may shift to the inside and then brush from right to left. After this, consider brushing the chewing surfaces from left to right. Do the same pattern for the teeth underneath.

As you can see, there are proper ways of brushing. So, do not just brush your teeth for the sake of brushing alone. Learn the proper techniques to keep the gums and teeth clean and in good condition.

Please Call our team on 8237802848 / 020-27041188 or visit Dr Ratnika Agarwal at Smile Up Dental Care & Implant Center, Pune Today and get your Dental Check-up today ! We provide all Dental & Cosmetic Treatments for all age groups.