What You Need To Know

My staff and I take it as a compliment that so few questions are asked about what we do for you. There are, also, rare times when someone asks why we do whatever we do.  Nevertheless, here are some answers to questions which are, often, not asked – even though they should be.

WHAT IS CROSS INFECTION CONTROL?
Cross infection control is medical jargon for techniques to ensure that germs (bacteria and/or viruses) are not spread from patient or staff to patient. This, also, includes making sure that germs are not spread from patients to staff. It means that we must make sure that everything we use in your mouth is clean – either by sterilization or, when sterilization is not possible, by the use of simple, disposable equipment.

HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT MATERIALS ARE STERILIZED?
We mix all materials individually for each patient. Any surplus material is thrown away. That means that no premixed fillings, impressions, temporary crowns or local anaesthetic, etc., materials are reused.

HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT NEEDLES ARE STERILE?
We use pre-sterilized, disposable needles. In the surgery, prior to you receiving and injection, you may notice that staff open a sealed packet which contains the needle used for your injection. After you have had the injection, the needle which was used is immediately disposed.

HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT INSTRUMENTS ARE STERILE?
After any instrument is used, it is ultrasonically cleaned, disinfected, inspected and autoclaved. Autoclaving is the process of using superheated steam to sterilize instruments with any possibility of being contaminated by blood or saliva.   

HOW DO WE STERALIZE COTTON WOOL, TISSUES AND SALIVA EJECTORS?
In case you’re wondering, these are the items that we use to keep your mouth dry. We make sure that all of these materials are sterile by only using disposable products. After use, these materials are sealed in special clinical waste bags and incinerated by specially licensed firms.

HOW DO WE STERILIZE OUR HANDS?
In addition to the obvious requirement of continuous hand-washing and using alcohol gels, all staff are required to use gloves. Again, gloves are disposable and thrown away after use on any patient.

IS ALL OF THIS VERY DIFFICULT AND/OR EXPENSIVE?
YES! To autoclave is expensive and time consuming but necessary! We need to make sure that that you are safe coming to us for dental treatment and that we are safe as we treat you. A faulty autoclave means that we would have to close the surgery. We avoid this by having two autoclaves in the practice. We use them in series. We are required to make sure that the autoclaves are working perfectly. To make sure that our instruments are sterile and, correctly, autoclaved, every cycle is checked with a digital reader.

We have recently upgraded our sterile systems.  This means that we can, easily, comply with the new recommendations from The British Dental Association and The Department of Health Publication on Decontamination Health Technical Memorandum 01-05.

We are one of the first practices to use a Central Sterilization System. All instruments are moved to The Sterilization Unit by an automated tube system to a cross-infection control unit where the instruments are ultrasonically cleaned, microscopically inspected and, then, put through a washer/disinfector. The instruments are, then, autoclaved in a vacuum cycle and placed in sterile packaging before being returned via the transit system to the main surgeries.

WHAT ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS?
We are concerned about protecting the environment. Unfortunately, we are using ever-increasing numbers of disposable, plastic materials which are not recyclable due to the possibility of contamination. These materials are incinerated by a commercial company. Whenever possible, we use recycled paper products – even though we know that we would like to decrease the use of paper. However, the use of the autoclaves and disposable products minimises the use of chemical cleaning and subsequent disposal problems.   All of our surgeries are equipped with mercury traps to ensure no environmental contamination.

X-RAYS
We were one of the first practices in the north of England to use Digital Radiography and have two digital systems in the practice. Using computer networking, we access all x-ray records digitally.  The use of these systems ensures accurate results, perfect record keeping, much lower radiation doses and no use or disposal of harmful chemicals.  

ARE SILVER AMALGAM FILLINGS POISONOUS?
It is true that silver amalgam fillings contain mercury. In general, the lower quality alloys are cheaper and release mercury more easily with wear and tear. There is an increasing trend, precipitated usually by patient demand, to replace existing silver amalgam fillings with gold, porcelain or resin. The Department of Health and The British Dental Association have maintained that there is no threat to health from mercury in fillings.

HOWEVER:

  • The Department of Health has recommended that silver amalgam is not used for treatment with children and pregnant women;
  • Some allergy specialists have reported a variety of symptoms that are blamed on mercury leaking from dental amalgams;
  • On 29th April, 1998, The Department of Health issued a paper stating that although the use of mercury amalgam was safe, it is undesirable to remove or replace silver amalgams in pregnant mothers.

OUR PRACTICE POLICY IN REFERENCE TO SILVER AMALGAM FILLINGS IS:

  • Wherever possible, fillings for children will not contain mercury. Instead, we use composites or glass iononers.
  • Only under exceptional circumstances and with the patient’s knowledge and informed consent will silver amalgam be used for pregnant women;
  • We offer a choice of filling materials. It may cost more but we can use gold, porcelain or composite in the place of silver amalgam.
  • When we do use amalgam, it is of the highest quality on the market (Oral B Permite). The shaping that is possible with this material helps to reduce or eliminate the chance of mercury leakage.
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