Indoor air climate and microbiological contamination in dental clinics

The use of high-speed rotary and spray-producing instruments can pose a serious risk indental clinics, by continuously creating a potential harmful contamination of the room. Indoorclimate parameters (temperature, relative humidity) and microbiological airbornecontamination (total bacterial count at 37C, fungal particles) were evaluated in 12 privatedental clinics, partially equipped with air conditioning systems. Carbon dioxide airconcentrations were also measured to evaluate the efficacy of air exchange. Air microbialcounts were highest in the consulting rooms and waiting rooms. The coagulase-positivestaphylococci were present in the air of rooms with the highest flow of traffic. The microbialcontamination was not correlated with the air conditioning systems. The most importantmeasure to prevent the excessive airborne contamination is an efficient source control. Thebetter management of the air conditioning systems would lead to a notable improvement inindoor air quality in these particular environments.