Biofilms in Dental Unit Waterlines
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Date
2010-03-21
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Journal of the Dental Association of Thailand
Abstract
Biofilms are community of microorganisms that naturally occur in aquatic environments including dental unit waterlines (DUWL). Biofilms in DUWL harbor microorganisms that can eventually be transmitted to patients and dental health care workers. Although microorganisms found in DUWL’s biofilms are mostly weakly pathogenic, some of them can cause opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. There have been efforts to standardize the quality of water from DUWL in several countries. Usually they are based on drinking water standard by which degree of bacterial contamination of less than 200 CFU/ml is considered suitable for human consumption. Many methods for decontaminating DUWL have been proposed. Unfortunately, no currently available single approach can effectively eliminate biofilms. Therefore, it would be necessary to employ combination of methods; for example using anti-retraction valve to prevent retrograde aspiration of oral fluids, flushing of DUWL at the start of each clinic day and between each patient, drying DUWL at night and on weekend, using filter or independent water reservoir filled with sterile water, and the use of chemical disinfectants. Future developments in DUWL technology that prevent biofilms development or DUWL decontamination system which can be integrated into the dental unit are eagerly awaited.
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Journal of the Dental Association of Thailand; Vol.58 No.1 January-March 2008; 9-17