Letting a dentist at a Montgomery Dental Medicine Practice Work on your teeth implies a certain unspoken trust. While the majority of dentists are ethical, caring, and practice good dental hygienic procedures, some do not. Being vigilant of the cleanliness of a dental office and of certain actions during your visit will help to ensure a safe dental visit that is as free of cross contamination as possible. This kind of contamination exposes a patient to microbes that are transferred from contact with an item such as a dental instrument that has been contaminated by another item.
When you are getting your dental exam, watch to make sure the dentist puts on gloves that are stored in an appropriate place. A dentist should only wear gloves that comes out of a glove dispenser. Putting on gloves after they have been on an unsterilized surface like a counter top will increase the chances of transferring any present pathogens to a patient’s mouth. Also, a dentist should only touch your mouth or sterile instruments after he puts on gloves.
A dental office should have visible soap dispensers or soap containers so the dentist and office staff will be able to wash their hands throughout the day. Doing this will help to keep germs and other pathogens from being passed to patients.
It’s a good idea to look around the office to make sure everything is clean, tidy, and organized. Seeing soiled towels or instruments lying around is an indication that the dentist does not take hygiene procedures seriously. A dental practice needs to conform to certain standards in order promote a healthful and productive environment.
Before a dentist puts any instrument in your mouth, make sure he unwraps it from a sealed bag with other instruments. Being sealed in a bag means the instruments have been sterilized in a device called an autoclave. You can ask for a certificate of validation. This guarantees that the proper functionality of the autoclave was tested and verified by a third party.
