Problem:

Water samples were obtained from seven independent dental clinics in Muenster and the Northern Ruhr-region of Germany. The number of CFUs measured at 22°C and 36°C (procedure as per the recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute) were found to be well above the acceptable, safe levels in all samples. The highest recorded finding in one of the samples reached a staggering 500.00CFU/ml.

It was found that samples taken from the mains water supply to each of the clinics were the least contaminated. In stark contrast to this, samples taken and measured from the DUWLs had the highest colonization of contamination. The reason given for this was the ‘perfect’ temperatures in the DUWLs that led to the bacterial colonization.

It was found also that the water samples when left for a period of time comparable to that of an average weekend showed increased levels of contamination. The conclusion from this, therefore was that stagnant water in dental clinics harbour significantly higher levels of bacteria than water that is continuously moving.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to identify the key areas of hygiene risk in dental clinics. It was then necessary to find a company that could provide a solution to the hygiene risks in dental clinics.

Solution:

Trustwater™ was approached to come up with a solution to counteract these hygiene risks. Having evaluated the requirement, Trustwater ™provided a custom-built fully-automated on-site generating system for the treatment of the dental

Trustwater™ was approached to come up with a solution to counteract these hygiene risks. Having evaluated the requirement, Trustwater ™provided a custom-built fully-automated on-site generating system for the treatment of the dental clinics water supply. Trustwater™ supplied a controlled dosing system of Ecasol™ into the supply waterline (feeding the dental chairs) and thus ensured residual solution in the pipe-work at all times to combat further biofilm build-up.

Conclusion:

Rinsing the highly contaminated syringes in Ecasol™ for a 1minute contact time gave rise to a significant reduction of the plate count.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed in one sample (sink sample dental clinic 6) at a high concentration of 570 CfU/ml before disinfection. After disinfection no positive samples could be taken.

Legionella spp. could be measured exceeding the RKI-guideline of <1CfU/ml in 3 dental clinics. In any cases of isolation it was the non-pneumophila type Legionella bozemanii.

By the end of the study, all seven dental clinics tested well below the recommended levels for microbial contamination. The use of Trustwater™ and its systems, when used in accordance with relevant rinsing protocols, can provide a solution to the hygiene risks in dental clinics.

Münster, 11.05.2009 Prof. Dr. Werner Mathys (Results of a study carried out in spring 2008 by the University of Muenster, Institute of Hygiene, Prof. Dr. Werner Mathys in seven dental clinics from the region of Muenster and the northern Ruhr-region.)