Is there a danger of infection with the most dangerous viruses in the dentist's office: preventive measures

Sharp devices and painful procedures are not the only reasons for fear of the dentist's office. Many patients miss the mandatory visit every six months, and sometimes even delay treatment, for fear of contracting dangerous viruses and infections in dentistry. After all, one cannot know for sure how carefully sanitary standards are observed in the room with such a dense flow of visitors.

What infections really threaten in the dental office

Indeed, the specificity of medical procedures and the vulnerability of the examination site expose the patient's health to a certain risk. The fact is that many diseases are transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person, and poorly processed instruments can carry them. What diseases can be taken out of the dental office?

HIV AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) suppress or completely deprive the human body of natural immunity. Because of this, any disease becomes potentially life-threatening. There are many myths around this virus, so an infected person may not know about their HIV-positive status for a long time.

To date, more than 824,000 people have been registered in Russia living with this virus.

However, there is still a small probability of infection through objects that injure the mucous membranes, and there are plenty of them in the dentist's office.

Hepatitis B

It is a viral disease, mainly blood-borne. It affects the liver, if treatment is ignored, it can very quickly lead to death. Among the entire population of the Earth, about 350 million are infected with hepatitis B. human. Up to 1 million die annually. sick.

Just like HIV, the virus enters the human body through a damaged area on the skin or mucous membrane, blood picks it up and carries it to the liver, where it continues to develop. An infected person can live with hepatitis B for a long time without showing any symptoms.

In the dentist's office, you can contract hepatitis B, although the probability is very small. The danger is posed by poorly processed devices and gloves, which the doctor forgot to change, because they may contain the blood of the previous patient.

Hepatitis C

The most dangerous type of hepatitis due to the lack of a vaccine. Hepatitis C may not manifest itself with symptoms from the moment of infection to six months, which means that the patient becomes a carrier of the disease, unaware of his status. Leads to serious pathologies of the body, such as cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. It is transmitted through blood.

At the dentist's office, you can get infected in the ways described above.

Tuberculosis

A disease that occurs in the lungs and is provoked by the Koch bacillus microbe. Together with the lungs, it affects the intestines and bones with joints. The period when tuberculosis can be quickly treated is asymptomatic and very difficult to detect on your own.

Fortunately, the infected person is unlikely to be able to infect his loved ones during this time - a person with a healthy body and strong immunity has little chance of contracting tuberculosis after contact with a sick person. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets, penetrating into the lungs. Up to 3 million die from tuberculosis. person per year.

How can you get TB in a dental clinic? Spitting bowls can be a source of infection if they are not replaced after a previous dose. Leaning over them, a person can breathe in germs. Koch's wand is resistant to environmental influences and can "live" for a long time outside the human body.

Herpes

An extremely common viral disease. In total, 8 types of the disease are distinguished, but the most common form is herpes in the form of inflamed lesions of the skin on the lips and mucous membranes. It is transmitted by direct contact with a patient, but the virus itself can exist outside the human body for up to a day (at room temperature).

Once again, the danger lies in the devices for working with the oral cavity. Since most infected people have herpes in the lips or throat, the virus can easily get onto the instrument.

Other

As in other public places, in the dental clinic, you can get infected with influenza, diphtheria, scarlet fever, since these viruses are transmitted by airborne droplets. But, most likely, this will happen in the queue in front of the office, than in the office itself.

Prevention of infections in dentistry

Personal protection of the doctor

Contacting the mucous membrane and blood of dozens of people a day, the doctor exposes himself and the medical staff to the danger of infection if he does not follow the list of simple rules. Laziness or negligence can lead to the spread of dangerous diseases both among patients and among employees of the medical institution. Therefore, the main guarantee of the prevention of the above diseases in the dentist's office is a responsible attitude to work.

In order to avoid an epidemic of HIV and other viruses in hospitals and clinics, each health worker must follow the instructions from the following acts:

• Federal Law of the Russian Federation "On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation" dated November 21, 2011 No. No. 323-FZ;
• Federal Law of the Russian Federation "On the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of the Population" dated 03.30.1999. No. 52-FZ;
• SanPiN 2.1.3.2630-10 "Sanitary and Epidemiological Requirements for Organizations Performing Medical Activities";
• SanPiN 2.1.7.2790-10 "Sanitary and Epidemiological Requirements for Medical Waste Management";
• SanPin 3.1.1.2341-08 "Prevention of viral hepatitis B";
• SanPin 3.1.958-00 "Prevention of viral hepatitis. General provisions for epidemiological surveillance of viral hepatitis ";
• SanPin 3.5.1378-03 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organization and implementation of disinfection activities";
• SanPin 3.1.5.2826-10 "Prevention of HIV infection".

Of these, the following are generally binding rules for all health workers:

1. In no case should infected blood get into the area of ​​the eyes, nose or mouth. This is one of the reasons why the dentist should wear a mask, glasses, gloves, medical uniform during the examination;
2. In between doses, gloves must be removed with the outside to the inside. Never reuse the same gloves;
3. If blood or saliva gets on the skin, this place is sterilized with 70% alcohol;
4. If the skin is damaged by a piercing-cutting object, urgently remove and discard the gloves, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and treat them with 70% alcohol;
5. If the patient's blood gets on the doctor's work clothes, it must be removed and disinfected in a solution or in a special disinfectant tank;
6. In the event of such an emergency, the doctor must take antiviral drugs within 72 hours.

Patient protection

To avoid infection of the patient, the following rules must be adhered to:

1. Strict adherence to sterilization and replacement protocols instruments (above);
2. All disposable instruments must be used strictly once, after which they are thrown away;
3. Reusable instruments must be thoroughly disinfected by lowering them into a special solution or tank;
4. Observance of caution when working with a scalpel, scissors, forceps and other piercing and cutting objects.

What to look for when visiting a dentist

The visitor himself can monitor the implementation of all sanitary standards. For example, disposable devices are often unpacked after the patient enters the office. The spittoon should be clean. Towels - disposable or taken from the autoclave.

As a rule, the dentist first asks about complaints and only then approaches the chair. At this time, he must put on a new mask and gloves. If the doctor has already sat in gloves or touched, while in them, a pen, a medical record or other surfaces and objects, you can ask to change gloves.

A good dentist, respecting the care of his health, will not refuse to change his gloves.

What to do if you suspect infection

At the slightest suspicion of infection, you should immediately consult a doctor and pass all the tests prescribed by him. It is vigilance and attention to the signals of the body that can save lives, since many diseases can be defeated at the initial stage.