Lakhasly

Dental surgeons belong to the group of clinicians who are at a very high risk of getting diseases from their clients.These organisms tend to get transmitted in dental clinics by (1) direct contact with blood, oral fluids, or other patient materials; (2) indirect contact with contaminated objects (e.g. instruments, equipment, or environmental surfaces); (3) contact of conjunctival, nasal, or oral mucosa with droplets (e.g. spatter) containing microorganisms generated from an infected person by coughing, sneezing, or talking; and (4) inhalation of airborne microorganisms.FIGURE 8.1: A modern dental clinic Dental patients and dental surgeons can be exposed to many pathogenic microorganisms including cytomega?lovirus (CMV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV 1 and 2), HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, staphylococci, streptococci, and many other microorganisms that colonize or infect the oral cavity and respiratory tract.(i) a pathogenic organism, (ii) reservoir or source, (iii) mode of transmission, (iv)a portal of entry and (v) a susceptible host.

Dental surgeons belong to the group of clinicians who
are at a very high risk of getting diseases from their clients.
They may be exposed to infectious materials, conta￾minated equipments and other materials, unhygienic
environments, unclean water or air even though there
has been a tremendous advancement in modern dental
practice vis-à-vis yester years.
FIGURE 8.1: A modern dental clinic
Dental patients and dental surgeons can be exposed
to many pathogenic microorganisms including cytomega￾lovirus (CMV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus
(HCV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV 1 and 2), HIV,
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, staphylococci, streptococci,
and many other microorganisms that colonize or infect
the oral cavity and respiratory tract. These organisms tend
to get transmitted in dental clinics by (1) direct contact
with blood, oral fluids, or other patient materials;
(2) indirect contact with contaminated objects (e.g.
instruments, equipment, or environmental surfaces);
(3) contact of conjunctival, nasal, or oral mucosa with
droplets (e.g. spatter) containing microorganisms
generated from an infected person by coughing, sneezing,
or talking; and (4) inhalation of airborne microorganisms.
Infection through any route requires all of the following
conditions. (i) a pathogenic organism, (ii) reservoir or
source, (iii) mode of transmission, (iv)a portal of entry
and (v) a susceptible host. All infection-control practices
act by interrupting one of these links.
Earlier days, the concept of universal precautions was
promoted. This was based on the concept that all blood
and body fluids should be considered as infectious
because patients with blood-borne infections can be
unaware that they are infected. Practices used to reduce
blood exposures, particularly percutaneous exposures,
include (1) careful handling of sharp instruments, (2) hand
washing; and (3) use of protective barriers. The relevance
of universal precautions to other aspects of disease
transmission was recognized, and in 1996, Center for
Disease Control, Atlanta (CDC) expanded the concept
and changed the term to standard precautions. Standard
precautions integrate and expand the elements of
universal precautions into a standard of care designed