Dental Infection Control and Occupational Safety

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers essential terminology, protocols, and regulatory bodies related to dental infection control, sterilization processes, and occupational safety based on the provided lecture transcript.

Infectious Diseases

Illnesses caused by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that can spread directly or indirectly.

Chain of Infection

The sequence required for infection to occur: infectious agent → reservoir → portal of exit → mode of transmission → portal of entry → susceptible host.

Reservoir

The source where a pathogen lives and grows, such as water, surfaces, or people.

Direct Contact Transmission

Physical transfer from an infected person to a susceptible host, such as touching lesions.

Indirect Contact Transmission

Transfer of a pathogen through an intermediate object or surface, such as touching a contaminated instrument.

Droplet Transmission

Transmission via large particles ($> 50 μm$) sprayed during coughing, sneezing, or procedures that travel short distances.

Aerosols

Tiny spatter particles less than $10 μm$ that can remain suspended in the air (airborne transmission).

Parenteral Transmission

Transmission through the skin, such as by needle stick injuries (percutaneous exposure), cuts, or abrasions.

Fecal-Oral Transmission

Transmission through contaminated food or water, commonly associated with Hepatitis A and E.

Biofilm

A microbial community that forms a slimy layer on moist surfaces, such as the inside of dental waterlines.

Acceptable CFU Level

Water quality in dental waterlines should contain less than or equal to $500$ colony-forming units per milliliter ($500 CFU/mL$).

Critical Instruments

Items used to penetrate soft bone or tissue that must always be sterilized.

Semicritical Instruments

Items that contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin; must be sterilized or treated with high-level disinfectant.

Non-critical Instruments

Items that contact only intact skin; required to be disinfected with a tuberculocidal intermediate-level disinfectant.

Standard Precautions

The practice of treating all patients and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of medical history.

Antimicrobial Soap

Soap containing an antiseptic agent, used for surgical scrubs or when visible contamination is present.

Plain Soap

Non-antimicrobial soap used for the mechanical removal of transient bacteria on the skin.

Hand Hygiene Duration

$40$ seconds of scrubbing is required for the beginning-of-the-day wash; routine washing requires $20$ seconds.

Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs

Rubs with $60-95\%$ concentration are most effective but only when hands are not visibly soiled.

PPE Donning Sequence

The proper order for putting on PPE: gown, mask, goggles, and then gloves.

PPE Doffing Sequence

The proper order for taking off PPE: gloves, goggles, mask, and then gown.

Level 3 Mask

The mask level providing the highest degree of fluid resistance.

Pre-cleaning

The process of removing bioburden/microbes using soap and water before disinfection or sterilization.

Disinfectants vs. Antiseptics

Disinfectants are for inanimate objects; antiseptics are antimicrobial agents applied to living tissue.

Intermediate-Level Disinfectant

An EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with tuberculocidal claims that inactivates M. tuberculosis, HBV, and HIV.

Sterilization

The process that kills all life forms, including bacterial endospores, fungi, viruses, and bacteria.

High Volume Evacuation (HVE)

A device used during procedures that create aerosols or splatter to reduce the spread of pathogens.

Single Unit Dosing

Using premeasured individual portions to prevent waste and cross-contamination of bulk material containers.

Infectious Waste

Regulated medical waste including sharps, blood-saturated items, and pathologic waste.

Pathologic Waste

Infectious waste consisting of soft tissue and extracted teeth derived from biopsies or surgery.

Hazardous Waste

Waste that presents a danger to humans or the environment, such as toxic chemicals (spent fixer, amalgam).

Autoclave (Steam Sterilization)

Sterilization using moist heat under pressure, typically at $121^∘C$ ($250^∘F$) for $15-30$ minutes at $15 PSI$.

Unsaturated Chemical Vapor Sterilization

A method using a combination of chemicals instead of water to create steam; prevents rusting and dulling of instruments.

Dry Heat Sterilization

Sterilization using heated air at high temperatures ($160-190^∘C$); does not rust instruments but takes longer.

Flash Sterilization

An unpackaged cycle for instruments with a short exposure time, used when items are needed immediately.

Wicking

The process where microorganisms are drawn through wet or damp paper packaging, contaminating sterilized instruments.

Process Indicators

External indicators (e.g., autoclave tape) that change color to show a package has been exposed to heat.

Process Integrators

Internal indicators that respond to heat, temperature, and time; confirm the sterilizing agent penetrated the pack.

Biological Monitoring (Spore Test)

The use of vials or strips containing harmless bacterial spores to verify if sterilization has occurred.

Geobacillus stearothermophilus

The microorganism used in biological indicators for steam and chemical vapor sterilizers.

Bacillus atrophaeus

The microorganism used in biological indicators for dry heat and ethylene oxide sterilization.

OSHA

The federal agency that mandates laws and enforces penalties to protect worker safety and health.

CDC

A non-regulatory federal agency that develops science-based guidelines for infection control and public health.

EPA

The regulatory agency responsible for disinfectant registration and the disposal of medical and hazardous waste.

FDA

The agency that regulates medical devices, such as sterilizers, ultrasonic cleaners, and liquid sterilants.

SDS (Safety Data Sheet)

A required document for every hazardous chemical containing information on hazards, safe handling, and first aid.

Engineering Controls

Equipment-based solutions that isolate or remove hazards, such as sharps containers and safety syringes.

Work Practice Controls

Behavior-based methods to reduce the likelihood of exposure, such as the one-handed scoop technique for needle recapping.

Planktonic Community

Bacteria that are freely floating in water lines, as opposed to those attached as biofilm.

Ultrasound Liner

Equipment that uses sound waves and cavitation to loosen and remove debris from instruments.

Asepsis

The absence of disease-causing microorganisms.

Exclamation Mark Pictogram

A GHS symbol indicating a chemical is an irritant or has less severe toxicity.

Exploding Bomb Pictogram

A GHS symbol indicating a chemical is explosive or reacts violently.

Flame Over Circle Pictogram

A GHS symbol indicating the chemical is an oxidizer.

Heterotrophic

Bacteria that use organic carbon as food, commonly found in dental unit waterlines.

Antiretraction Device

A mechanism preventing backflow of fluids and microorganisms into waterlines due to negative pressure.

NIOSH

A federal institute responsible for research and recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and disease.