Dental practitioners and their staff are particularly at risk from aerobiological infection due to a range of occupational hazards. The use of high-speed equipment such as ultrasonic scalers and drills can transform thousands of droplets into aerosols which can be rapidly spread from room to room through air-conditioning and ventilation systems and even by opening a window or door. The tiniest of aerosols can stay suspended in the air for hours, exposing dental teams to a range of pathogens from Cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C, virus, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococci, Streptococci, just to name a few.
Dental teams are also constantly exposed to poisonous mercury vapours released from amalgam fillings and odorous chemical solutions and disinfectants that can cause irritation to patients and serious long term health effects for staff.
The ultimate line of defence is an air purification system that can capture these airborne particles and gaseous odours at source.
Read more about the IQAir Dental Series to learn how you can protect yourself, your team and your patients from the effects of noxious gases, toxins and pathogens in your dental workplace.
Attik Designs