Ch.20 Blue book flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering principles and techniques of disinfection in a dental setting, based on lecture notes from Chapter 20.

Environmental Infection Control

Guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for managing surfaces in dental healthcare settings, categorized into clinical contact surfaces and housekeeping surfaces.

Clinical Contact Surfaces

Surfaces in dental treatment rooms that can be directly contaminated by spray or spatter during procedures or by contact with a dental professional's gloved hands.

Housekeeping Surfaces

Surfaces like floors, walls, and sinks that have a lower risk of disease transmission and require less rigorous cleaning and decontamination compared to clinical areas.

Touch Surfaces

Clinical contact surfaces that are directly touched and contaminated during treatment procedures, such as light handles, dental unit controls, and chair switches.

Transfer Surfaces

Clinical contact surfaces that are not directly touched but are often touched with contaminated instruments, like instrument trays and handpiece holders.

Splash, Spatter, and Droplet Surfaces

Clinical contact surfaces that do not directly come into contact with the dental team or contaminated instruments/supplies, such as countertops.

Surface Barriers

Protective coverings used to prevent microorganisms from soaking through to the underlying surface, resistant to fluids like saliva and blood.

Single-Use (Disposable) Items

Items used on only one patient and then discarded, not intended to withstand cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization, to reduce cross-contamination.

Precleaning

The process of cleaning a contaminated surface before it can be disinfected, which reduces the number of microbes and removes bioburden.

Disinfection

A process intended to kill disease-producing microorganisms that remain on a surface after precleaning; it does not kill bacterial spores.

Sterilization

A process in which all forms of life, including bacterial spores, are destroyed.

Disinfectants

Chemicals applied to inanimate surfaces (e.g., countertops, dental equipment) to destroy or inactivate most species of pathogenic microorganisms.

Antiseptics

Antimicrobial agents that are applied to living tissue.

Bioburden

Blood and saliva remaining on a surface, which must be removed during precleaning to ensure disinfectant effectiveness.

EPA-Registered Hospital Disinfectants

Disinfectants registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, specifically those with tuberculocidal claims, recommended for use in dental treatment areas.

Iodophors

EPA-registered intermediate-level hospital disinfectants with tuberculocidal action; they may corrode metals or stain surfaces due to iodine content.

Synthetic Phenol Compounds

EPA-registered intermediate-level hospital disinfectants with broad-spectrum action, suitable for various materials but leave a residual film.

Sodium Hypochlorite

Household bleach, a fast-acting, economical, intermediate-level disinfectant (1:100 dilution); it is unstable, has a strong odor, and is corrosive.

Alcohol (as disinfectant)

Not recommended as a surface disinfectant due to its ineffectiveness in the presence of blood/saliva, quick evaporation, and damaging effects on plastics/vinyl.

Immersion Disinfectants

Chemicals that can be used for sterilization (destroying all microbial life including endospores with long contact times) or high-level disinfection (inactivating all microorganisms except endospores with shorter contact times).

Glutaraldehyde

A high-level disinfectant/sterilant, useful for heat-sensitive items; it is very toxic and requires thorough rinsing of instruments before patient use.

Chlorine Dioxide

An effective, rapid-acting environmental surface disinfectant or chemical sterilant; it must be prepared fresh daily and needs good ventilation.

Ortho-Phthalaldehyde (OPA)

A high-level disinfectant effective within 12 minutes at room temperature, with little odor and no activation required; more costly and can stain skin and fabrics.

High-Volume Evacuation System

A system used to reduce the risk of saliva escaping from patients' mouths, reducing contamination of the dental team and clinical surfaces.

Greener Infection Control

Measures aimed at minimizing the negative environmental impact of infection control products and procedures in the dental office, such as using digital records or recyclable barriers.