"The study of bib clips from the hygiene clinic demonstrates that with the current disinfection protocol, specific aerobic and anaerobic bacteria can remain viable on the surfaces of bib clips immediately after disinfection," said Addy Alt-Holland, M.Sc., Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Department of Endodontics at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the lead researcher on the study. "Although actual transmission to patients was not demonstrated, some of the ubiquitous bacteria found may potentially become opportunistic pathogens in appropriate physical conditions, such as in susceptible patients or clinicians."
The study analyzed the clips on 20 dental bib holders after they had been used on patients treated in a dental hygiene clinic. The bib clips were sampled for aerobic and anaerobic bacterial contaminants immediately after treatment (post-treatment clips) and again after the clips were cleaned using disinfecting, alcohol-containing wipes (post-disinfection clips) according to the manufacturer instructions and the clinic's disinfection protocol.
Led by Dr. Bruce Paster, Chair of the Department of Microbiology at the Forsyth Institute, microbiologists at the Forsyth Institute used standard molecular identification techniques and a proprietary, one-of-a-kind technology that can detect 300 of the most prevalent oral bacteria, to analyze the sampled bacteria from the bib clips. The analyses found:
- Immediately after treatment and before the clips had been disinfected, oral bacteria often associated with chronic and refractory periodontitis were found on 65% of the clips.
- After disinfection, three of the bib clips (15%) still had anaerobic Streptococcus bacteria from the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract. Five percent (5%) of the clips still harbored at least one bacteria from the Staphylococcus, Prevotella and Neisseria species.
- Additionally, after disinfection, nine clips (45%) retained at least one anaerobic bacterial isolate from skin.
Researchers involved in the study hypothesized that bacteria found on bib clips after patient care could have been transferred from patients and clinicians to the clips in different ways:
- Oral bacteria present in the patient's saliva and the spray or spatter produced during dental treatments may contribute to the presence of bacteria on the disinfected bib clips.
- Bacteria can also be transferred from the gloved hands of dental practitioners to the clips prior to- or during the patient's treatment.
- Bacteria can be transferred from the patient's hands to the clips if the patient touches the clip.