Microbiological Quality of Ultrasonic Dental Scaler Output Water
type: CreativeWork
description: Objectives: Since ultrasonic dental scalers contain internal narrow-diameter waterline tubing susceptible to bacterial biofilm growth, this study determined the cultivable prevalence of aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria in ultrasonic scaler output water subjected to one of two commercial biocides favorably reviewed by the American Dental Association as effective for microbial biofilm control in dental unit waterlines, and assessed the potential antimicrobial effect on output water of an ultrasonic scaler tip activated at a maximum power frequency. Methods: Aseptically-collected water samples were obtained, and neutralized for residual chlorine with sodium thiosulfate, from 12 ultrasonic scalers provided municipal tap water treated with an iodine resin cartridge (Group A), and from eight ultrasonic scalers provided distilled water treated with a 0.78% silver ion-based disinfectant (Group B), all within a dental school clinic setting. The latter eight ultrasonic scalers were additionally sampled after output water was passed through an inserted scaler tip activated to a maximum power setting similar to its potential use in clinical patient care. All water samples were evaluated for aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria using nationally-accepted analytical procedures detailed in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 23rd Edition (2017), with sample aliquots spread-plated onto R2A agar and aerobically incubated at 28°C for seven days. Aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria were considered elevated when ≥ 500 CFU/ml of the species were recovered per water sample. Predominant cultivable isolates of aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria in the water samples were identified using matrix- assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and Bruker MALDI Biotyper analytic software. Results: Aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria averaged 610 ± 380 (SD) CFU/ml per ultrasonic scaler in Group A ultras…
abstract: Objectives: Since ultrasonic dental scalers contain internal narrow-diameter waterline tubing susceptible to bacterial biofilm growth, this study determined the cultivable prevalence of aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria in ultrasonic scaler output water subjected to one of two commercial biocides favorably reviewed by the American Dental Association as effective for microbial biofilm control in dental unit waterlines, and assessed the potential antimicrobial effect on output water of an ultrasonic scaler tip activated at a maximum power frequency. Methods: Aseptically-collected water samples were obtained, and neutralized for residual chlorine with sodium thiosulfate, from 12 ultrasonic scalers provided municipal tap water treated with an iodine resin cartridge (Group A), and from eight ultrasonic scalers provided distilled water treated with a 0.78% silver ion-based disinfectant (Group B), all within a dental school clinic setting. The latter eight ultrasonic scalers were additionally sampled after output water was passed through an inserted scaler tip activated to a maximum power setting similar to its potential use in clinical patient care. All water samples were evaluated for aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria using nationally-accepted analytical procedures detailed in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 23rd Edition (2017), with sample aliquots spread-plated onto R2A agar and aerobically incubated at 28°C for seven days. Aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria were considered elevated when ≥ 500 CFU/ml of the species were recovered per water sample. Predominant cultivable isolates of aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria in the water samples were identified using matrix- assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and Bruker MALDI Biotyper analytic software. Results: Aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria averaged 610 ± 380 (SD) CFU/ml per ultrasonic scaler in Group A ultras…
author: Mustazza, Joseph Leonard
language: eng
keywords: Dentistry, Microbiology, Biology, Dental unit waterline, Dental waterline purification, MALDI-TOF, Periodontology, Ultrasonic scaler, Waterline microbiology
license: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
date published: 2020
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:22:26Z
provider: Temple University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Temple University. Libraries

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/3322