In 2011, an 82 year old woman died after a dental procedure. Investigators found the cause of death to have been Legionnaires Disease and the causative agent, the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, on the dental hand piece waterline. Although dental and infection control professionals have suspected for many years that dental office waterlines harbor bacteria, the 2011 death was the first documented confirmation connecting a death caused by waterborne bacteria to a dental procedure.
A 2015 CDC report concluded that Mycobacterium abscessus led to an outbreak of oral infections among children in Georgia. The dental procedure that led to the outbreak was a pulpotomy, in which the pulp (tissue in the innermost portion of the tooth) in the crown (part of the tooth above the gum line and which is visible) is removed and the pulp in the root canal is left intact. It is mainly performed on children’s primary teeth to treat tooth decay that has extended to the pulp.
It is now understood and accepted among dentists and infection control experts that dental unit waterlines can contain waterborne bacteria above safe levels. These bacteria can cause deadly diseases. One proven method to prevent waterborne bacterial growth in waterlines is to filter water before it enters equipment.
AquaMedix offers InLine Filters to trap waterborne bacteria and keep water used during dental procedures free of potential pathogens such as Legionella and Pneumonia. InLine Filters can be used for a variety of appliances that use water and are located between the point water enters a room and the appliance. More information at https://aquamedix.net/idental-equipment-icemachines-inline-systems. Or, call 952-479-0636.
