Effectiveness of a dental unit waterline treatment protocol with A-dec ICX and citrisil disinfectants

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Dental Unit Waterline disinfection protocol utilizing two waterline disinfectant tablets in a dental treatment clinic. The water effluent from 47 dental treatment units was sampled to determine bacterial load. Four dental treatment units were shocked with the multivalent Sterilex Ultra liquid biocide, followed by a 5-week course of routine disinfection using either the A-dec ICX or Citrisil effervescing tablets. Aseptic samples were taken twice weekly, and bacterial load was determined. No significant difference was found when comparing A-dec ICX with Citrisil, but a significant difference was seen between the use of either tablet and no tablet. In addition, a survey was conducted to evaluate the effect of user compliance on infection control. The results indicate that proper training, coupled with the use of appropriate disinfectants and shock treatment, are important aspects of maintaining low bacterial burden in dental water lines.