[Droplets and aerosols in dental clinics and prevention and control measures of infection].
Na An, Lin Yue, Bin Zhao
Abstract
Spraying during dental practices can generate a large number of droplets, which may transform into droplet nuclei and suspend in the air of clinic in the form of aerosol. Either droplets or aerosols may carry microorganisms and cause air contamination in the hospital, posing potential threat to the health of clinical healthcare staff and patients. The present article summarizes some basic concepts involved in bio-aerosol research and reviews literatures on intervention measures of dental clinic droplet/aerosols to clarify whether there is experimental evidence of aerosol-carrying bacteria in the existing literatures. The aim of the present review article is to provide evidence for the formulation of guidelines for infection control in dental healthcare practices during the pandemic period of infectious diseases, as well as to provide reference and scientific basis for the management and implementation of infection control measures in daily dental clinical work.