Controlling biofilm contamination

Key Points

In brief

• All dental units' water lines are contaminated with a biofilm.

• Biofilm contamination is a health hazard to dental personnel and patients.

• There is no easy solution to the contamination problem.

• New technology was tested and found to effectively remove the biofilm and to significantly decrease microbial contamination.

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of electro-chemically activated water on biofilm contamination in dental unit water lines.

Design Thirteen dental units fitted with independent water systems and used for 12 years with distilled water were divided into two groups, A and B. At the start, 1 week later, and again 4 weeks later, the bacterial counts in water from all units were determined. Also specimens of tubing were taken from the units at the beginning and at the end of the study for SEM investigation. In Group A distilled water was replaced with electrochemically activated water (a Russian invention), and used continuously for the duration of the study. In group B, distilled water was used as before, until confirmed to be contaminated. For ethical reasons group B was treated, 1 week into the study, with conventional disinfectants.

Setting The project was carried out in a clinic of a department of periodontology of a faculty of dentistry during 1998.

Results Both groups showed a marked reduction in bacterial counts. Under SEM Group A showed a total elimination of the biofilm and Group B a partial removal.

Conclusions Distilled water was ineffective in controlling bacterial counts and biofilm. Electrochemically activated water was effective for this purpose.

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