Warning over bacterial biofilms in waterlines
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- Published: Tuesday, 05 April 2016 07:31
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Bacteria lurking in the water lines at the dentist's office are tougher than we thought, according to a new paper published in Water Research. The study reveals that the disinfectants recommended by companies that manufacture the water lines don't actually shift all the bacteria in the lines, which means they're never completely clean.
In the new study, researchers from Université de Poitiers in France analyzed three disinfectants used by some European dentists to control biofilms in dental water lines. The team tested how well the disinfectants removed biofilms from dental water lines and found that none of them were completely effective on a polymicrobial biofilm. "During dental procedures, patients and dentists can be exposed to microorganisms present in the water circulating inside dental units," said Dr. Damien Costa, lead author of the study from Université de Poitiers. "Infections may occur if this potentially microbiologically contaminated water is inhaled or splashed. We wanted to determine the best way to keep dental lines clean and avoid infection."
The researchers grew biofilms in the laboratory in conditions similar to dental water lines. "Unfortunately, our results showed that none of the three disinfectants commonly used are completely effective," said Dr. Costa. "What is most worrying is that none of the disinfectants could kill the amoebae, which means they are still dangerous to patients and dentists even after water lines have been sterilized."
They say preventing the formation of biofilms as long as possible is key to keeping the lines clean, as once they have formed, they can't be killed using disinfectant. It's difficult to stop biofilms from forming, since microbes naturally cling on to surfaces. However, the research highlighted three approaches to prevention: use good quality water that isn't contaminated with microbes, use a disinfectant for prevention, rather than to remove biofilms that have already formed, and avoid letting water stagnate.
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