Evaluation of surface disinfectants utilized in dentistry

Abstract

Surface disinfection is a procedure carried out on the external parts of the dental equipment as well as on other items of the dental office. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of 4 surface disinfectants utilized in dentistry: 77°GL alcohol, phenolic compound (Duplofen), iodophor (PVP-I) and 77°GL alcohol with 5% of chlorhexidine. Four surfaces of the equipment were analyzed in the study (the carter, the washbasin for hand-washing, the headrest of the chair and the external surface of the reflector), and the spray-wipe-spray procedure was carried out. From each surface, samples were collected by means of surface plates containing Mitis Salivarius bacitracin sucrose agar, Sabouraud Dextrose agar with chloramphenicol, MacConkey agar and blood agar, for counting mutans streptococci, Candida yeasts, gram-negative bacteria and total microorganisms, respectively (ufc/plate). The results were statistically analyzed by means of the Student's t test in order to compare the mean ufc/plate values. The most effective disinfectant was 77°GL alcohol with 5% of chlorhexidine, mainly against gram-positive bacteria. Iodophor and phenolic compound were also effective in microbial reduction. 77°GL alcohol was the least effective product - however, although it is not considered as a surface disinfectant, it produced, in this study, statistically significant microbial reduction after the disinfecting procedure.