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Dental Suction Line Maintenance Should be a Main Priority this Year

Now that a new year is upon us, all dental practitioners should have a solid dental suction line maintenance and sterilization program in place. Healthy levels of suction is an essential component for all of the procedures that patients undergo.

dental chair with suction line

While regular cleaning of the evacuation system should be a part of a daily maintenance regimen, it often goes neglected because of the fact that it involves the manual cleaning of traps that emit unfavorable smells, it poses a danger to the individual performing the task, and it is a tedious job. Failure to engage in regular dental suction line maintenance could pose hygiene, health, and productivity issues.

The Issue of Back Flow

The first issue that may occur if a regular dental suction line maintenance plan is not put into place this year is back flow. This is a situation where the suction of the unit is considered to be “weak” or “slow”. As a result, the fluid flow is reversed and emitted from the tubing that is placed in the mouth of the patient. This situation is complicated further if the patient closes their mouth. This, inadvertently, results in the creation of a negative amount of pressure. As a result, the tubing may then push foreign saliva in the patient’s mouth. As a result, cross infection may occur.

Suction Measurement

A regular dental suction line maintenance program will enhance suction so that oral liquids are drawn from the mouth of the patient and there is absolutely no risk of the retained liquids and debris reversing direction. Suction is a process that is measured in “bars”. According to industry experts, system suction should be leveled at approximately 11 to 12 bars. Excessive suction will be noticeable by the instruments strong seizing of the soft tissues of the mouth. Low suction will be identified by back flow and a high level of inefficiency. A dental suction line maintenance put into place this year could result in avoiding the complications of patients ingesting potentially infectious bacteria, optimizing productivity during procedures, and maximizing the overall efficiency and patient satisfaction of the practice.

Slow Suction Issues

Slow suction could be caused by a vast array of complications. These include a failing evacuation pump, decreased efficiency of the system or components of the system, lack of regular dental suction line maintenance, and the development of biofilm plaque in the unit. Here at Hughes Dental, we offer a multitude of products and parts that can enhance the suction of your lines and compliment your regular dental suction line maintenance for the new year.

If you are ready to start the New Year right, visit our website today and bring your practice up to date. In addition to products like Sirona and more, we also offer highly-skilled dental handpiece maintenance and repair: https://hughesdentalrepair.com/services/

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