Genesis Dental Technologies, Elmwood, Wis, has launched a Web site, www.aquasept.com, featuring the AquaSept™ Independent Water Delivery System, which is designed to reduce the risk of disease transmission among patients due to shared dental water.
“In the 21st century, the danger of infectious disease is heightened because of the emergence of more dangerous microbes that defy medical treatment and can lead to a fatality, a rise in patients who are immunocompromised due to other conditions and are therefore much more susceptible to disease with fatal consequences, and a rise in antibiotic-resistant strains,” said Robert Hasel, DDS.
In built-in water systems with bidirectional flow of fluid, the largest portion of fluid is expelled out the end of the handpiece, but friction causes a “passive retraction” of microscopic particles from the patient’s mouth, through the dental instrument, up the water line, and into the water reservoir. The continued use of the same water line and water reservoir among a group of patients results in cross-contamination of the dental water among patients. The AquaSept prevents this, according to the company.
To reduce transmission of diseases among patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines in 2003 that have become standard precautions. These guidelines specify the use of sterile irrigation fluids during any invasive procedure where tissue penetration is likely to occur. According to the CDC, in order to eliminate cross-contamination, dental professionals should install an AquaSept Independent Water Delivery System to provide sterile delivery of irrigation fluids through a sterilized container, sterilized fluid delivery line, and sterilized dental handpiece. This allows the dental professional to provide each patient with separate, sterile dental water, therefore reducing or eliminating infection.
