Microbial Contamination of Dental Unit Waterlines among Dental Clinics of India- An In vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Dental Unit Water Line (DUWL) deliver water to different handpieces in a dental unit. The water in DUWL circulates in a closed system, where it is taken from a container. The quality of dental water is of considerable importance since patients and dental staff are regularly exposed to water and aerosols generated from dental equipment. Output water from DUWLs may be a potential source of infection for both dental health care personnel and patients. AIM: To assess the microbial contamination in the DUWL among dental clinics in Chennai. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An in vitro study was conducted on 60 water samples from 20 dental clinics in Chennai in December 2019. Water samples were collected from three different sources of the Dental unit according to ADA guidelines. The collected samples were assessed for the presence of Aspergillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Legionella by agar plate method. The data were analysed using SPSS software version 20. RESULTS: Legionella was the most prevalent microorganism with 70% prevalence in a three-way syringe and 50% in scaler and airotor, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter with 10% prevalence in scaler and airotor and Aspergillus with a prevalence of 10% in the three-way syringe. CONCLUSION: Most of the dental units were contaminated with Aspergillus, Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter which pose a serious threat to the patients as well as the dentists.

Knowledge and awareness on neurolept anesthesia among dental students.

N20 omission or addition to the combination of an opioid and neuroleptic is referred to as neuroleptanalgesia and neuroleptanesthesia, respectively. Conscious sedation is the result of this evolution. The requirement for high-quality anesthesia that is also related with speedier recovery, improved comfort, and lower costs all support the concept of neuroleptanesthesia. A set of eight questions was formulated and circulated among the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Saveetha Dental College. Responses were collected and the data were entered into MS Excel sheet and transferred to SPSS for the analysis. Results were made into graphs and interpreted. In the present study, among the students who took part in the study, 36.3% of the students were postgraduates and 63.7% of them were undergraduates. About 45.2% of the students were not aware and 54.8% of the students were aware that neuroleptanalgesia refers to the combination of a potent sedative analgesic agent and a tranquillizer. Many of the students were not aware of what neuroleptic esthetic is and how it evolved. The current study showed that most students did not have enough knowledge about neurolept anesthesia. However, dentists should make efforts to improve knowledge, awareness of neurolept anesthesia for further advancement, and the need for high-quality anesthesia.