Dental surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected between treating patients and at the beginning and end of each day. This is done to help prevent bacteria and viruses being transferred to patients and staff.

How Important is Surface Disinfection?

During treatment, all surfaces in a dental setting are at risk of becoming contaminated with bacterial and viral pathogens. This includes bacteria (such as TB), fungi, yeast and enveloped viruses such as Coronaviruses, HIV, HBV, HCV H1N1 and H5N1.

Transmission of these pathogens to patients or members of the dental team can happen either directly or indirectly (cross contamination). Studies have shown that the area potentially becoming contaminated during treatment practically encompasses the whole room.

And with many items temporarily or semi-permanently stored on work surfaces, the importance of maintaining these areas is vital. To combat this, disinfection should be made as easy as possible and ideally extend to all work surfaces.

Properties to Look for in a Disinfectant Wipe

The two most important characteristics of an effective disinfectant wipe are spectrum of activity and efficacy. Spectrum of activity relates to how many different viruses and bacteria the wipe can kill or inactivate. Efficacy relates to how efficiently the wipe kills and inactivates. The best disinfectants will be clinically proven against a broad range of microorganisms, such as bacteria, non-enveloped viruses, fungi and yeast. The wipes should also be compatible with a wide range of surface materials.

Other important considerations include:

• Contact time – The amount of time the disinfectant needs to remain in contact with the surface to kill or inactivate microorganisms
• Safety – is the wipe/spray safe for frequent use, and can it be disposed of without harming the environment?

How to Properly Use Disinfectant Wipes

Manufacturer instructions on contact time, dilution concentrations and technique should be followed always. Even in a one-stage process, it is recommended that surfaces first be wiped clean to remove any visible material before being wiped again to kill pathogens. Wipes should not be used across surfaces to avoid cross contamination. 

Beware Cheap Disinfectants

Since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, lots of cheaper surface disinfectants began appearing on the market, especially via the internet. Many such products are unproven and can only claim limited efficacy against bacteria or simple viruses, rather than providing the broad spectrum microbicidal action required by dental practices. These products can also contain chemicals that can potentially damage surfaces and equipment, leading to unnecessary downtime and expense.