PumiceSafe Universal Cleaner

For cleaning products in the lab, use the same care as you would at home

Cleanliness in the dental laboratory, always stringent, is now even more robust. You will have put enhanced hygiene processes and protocols in place that are well established, that everyone is clear about, that run smoothly and keep the team safe and protected at work.

Depending on how many technicians there are in the lab, you may still have things like a one-way system in place, or the workforce divided into “bubbles” in order to limit the amount of people in the space at any one time. With practices tackling hefty treatment backlogs, you are likely to be busier than ever, so you can meet the demands of supplying dentists on time. The dental lab industry isn’t just back in business, it is getting on with business and cleaning must be effective, to minimise the risk not only to people, but of any need to halt operations. All your measures must be flexible too, so that they can be adapted as and when required – for example, if you need to expand your team to meet your increased workload.

No two are the same…

Outside the laboratory, no two cleaning products are the same, and will have your own personal preferences for what to look out for, and what you favour when you’re buying them. As well as effectiveness, you will choose products that are comfortable and pleasant to use. Fragrance is more important to some than others, but nearly everyone will want something that doesn’t irritate the skin and leave it feeling and looking dry and sore.

In the laboratory, you should have a similar list of requirements for all your cleaning products – highly effective, will neutralise unpleasant smells rather than being the source of them and are kind to skin. Cleaning products that can multi-task also make them better value, which is always of great benefit.

Various essential items will require a deep clean – in the dental laboratory, we must think far beyond surface cleaning. The dental pumice and pumice tray, for example, and good protocols will include regularly changing the pumice and having a separate one for “new work” and “repairs”. Pumice will produce splatter and aerosol too, and with your polishing lathe constantly in use in a busy laboratory, a high-quality liquid cleaner must be the mixing medium.

Because items are being regularly sent to practices, which will then be fitted into the patient’s mouth, effective cleaning of pumice and the pumice tray is an absolute priority and should be key part of your protocols.

For the busy technician

The ideal cleaning product will be ready to use and in a solution that effectively neutralises any unpleasant smells from the pumice tray. It will also have been formulated with the technician in mind, and therefore be kind, and not irritating to skin. Even better if it is a multi-purpose product that can also be used as a bench cleaner, and even for soaking lathe brushes to reduce the risk of burning the acrylic during polishing. PumiceSafe Universal Cleaner is highly effective and alcohol free, with a fresh and pleasant mint fragrance, also containing glycerine and emollient to look after technicians’ hands. The universal cleaning product is available in a handy spray and large 5ltr container, offering excellent value in one no-nonsense, multi-use product. PumiceSafe is available from Kemdent, joining its other premium lab solutions including PlasterSafe, an alcohol-free solvent that enables the swift and safe removal of dental plaster and stone from the fitted surface of dentures and Plaster Separator, a reliable medium that will impart a clean, smooth surface to the cured denture. Kemdent offers a comprehensive range of essential products for laboratories of any shape and size to utilise, all of which are made in Britain.

The products you choose can make a huge difference to hygiene in the dental laboratory. Just as is the case in the domestic setting, when a solution is pleasant to use, neutralising unpleasant odours as well as being kind to hands, full compliance to your processes will be supported. A safe laboratory, where technicians can work in the knowledge that they are using cleaning products which keep everything from surfaces to lathe brushes to pumices scrupulously clean, will continue to be productive, profitable and be able to grow.

For more information about the leading solutions available from Kemdent call 01793 770 256

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There are some real benefits to using Kemdent’s new PumiceSafe Universal Cleaner

Because there are no specific EU Regulations regarding disinfection within Laboratories, the DLA, in association with the BDA and BDIA, have developed their own series of Fact Sheets designed to enable Laboratories to implement Best Practice for the control of cross infection within the Laboratory.

These Fact Sheets cover various aspects of cross infection control, including the Laboratories responsibilities in a variety of situations, including performing repairs for the General Public and acting as CDTs.

Within these recommendations they highlight the potential risk of cross infection associated with denture repairs and the use of contaminated pumice slurry between one patient’s prosthesis and another’s.

Within production areas, the DLA Fact Sheet CI01 states that “all work benches, sinks and model trimmers benefit from being wiped down daily with a disinfection solution” and that “as far as practical the Laboratory should be kept as clean as possible”. However, due to the nature of the production work, nobody would be expected to maintain a spotlessly clean working environment. However, there is “no excuse for not cleaning up on a daily basis and in particular making sure dust is removed by vacuuming and wiping down the benches”

With regard to pumice, the DLA Fact Sheet states that “it has been shown that bacteria can survive in dental pumice for extended periods of time.

In a dental laboratory where the polishing lathe is constantly used, it is important that the items polished are free of bacteria when brought into the area. This is particularly important when dealing with items like repairs. If the repaired prosthesis has not been disinfected it may transfer bacteria into the pumice which will then be used on new appliances.

If items are then shipped back to the surgery still contaminated with this pumice it is possible that when the patient is fitted with the appliance, they will be at risk of becoming infected by the bacteria present in the contaminated pumice.

It is therefore important to change the pumice on a regular basis and disinfect the pan holding the pumice before putting fresh pumice into it.

It is strongly advised that the same pumice is not used for new work and repair work. When working on repairs, it is recommended that a small fresh amount of pumice is dispensed and used.

As pumice always produces a contaminated splatter and aerosol, a liquid disinfectant should be used as the mixing medium in pumice.”

Regarding rag wheels and brushes the same Fact Sheet states

“Always wear a dust/mist-type facemask and eye protection when operating a model trimmer, brush trimmer or rag wheel with pumice.

Rag wheels and brushes should be soaked for ten minutes after use and left to dry overnight.”

As well as advising on pumice, Fact Sheet CI01 also highlights the importance of cleaning work surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant, especially if the Laboratory does not have sufficient space for separate benches for processing incoming and outgoing work.

As a bare minimum all work benches should be wiped down with a suitable disinfectant at the beginning and end of each workday.

Finally the Fact Sheet states “If a Laboratory chooses to provide dentures direct to the public it is essential that a high standard of infection controlled should be practised at all times.” In these circumstances it is the CDT who has taken on the legal responsibility for infection control normally undertaken by the Dentist.

What does this mean for pumice?

First and foremost, the DLA Guidelines say that Laboratories should use a disinfectant solution, not just water, to make up their pumice slurries.

Why?

Because, unless it is discarded every day, in a warm Laboratory environment a water-based pumice slurry can quickly start to smell and often even develops a mouldy surface, which is unpleasant to deal with and has to be removed before the underlying pumice can be used.

What causes this mould?

If the pumice is not regularly discarded it quickly becomes impregnated with microorganism-laden stagnant water, which starts to smell and develop a surface mould of algae. This problem can be exacerbated where denture repairs are concerned, because the worn dentures are often plastered (sic) in bacteria and other microorganisms from the patient’s mouth, unless the very strictest disinfection protocols have been employed. Even then this can be extremely difficult to achieve with 100% success due to the presence of interstitial bacteria etc. Though this risk can be reduced slightly by having two pumice sources, one for new dentures and one for repairs.

Even if Technicians wear face masks, whilst using their pumice slurry, they are still being exposed to the microorganism-laden pumice spray which is neither pleasant nor healthy.
Another potential source of cross infection are the lathe brushes used as part of the polishing process. These are rarely, if ever, disinfected normally, but if soaked in a suitable disinfectant they can be disinfected easily without causing any damage to them. In addition, this will dramatically reduce the risk of burning the acrylic associated with the use of dry lathe brushes.

What is the answer?

If the pumice is not regularly discarded it quickly becomes impregnated with microorganism-laden stagnant water, which starts to smell and develop a surface mould of algae.

Kemdent have introduced PumiceSafe, which is specifically designed to prevent the development of the mould in pumice slurry as well as offering other benefits.

PumiceSafe is an alcohol-free, water-based cleaning solution which can be used in place of the ordinary tap water most Laboratories currently use to make their pumice slurries. It can also be used as work surface cleaner.

Supplied ready-to-use, so there is no need to dilute any concentrated solution, it can simply be dispensed, a few drops at a time, as and when required. Non-foamy, it is used to produce a pleasant smelling microorganism-free pumice slurry and also helps reduce the presence of dust within the Laboratory environment.

Non-greasy or slimy it is ideal for use with a cloth as a surface cleaner too, where it will help maintain a clean and dust-free environment easily removing light to moderate dirt and other surface debris. PumiceSafe can also be used as a soak for lathe brushes to remove pumice debris. Here it also softens the lathe brushes and as the soak becomes contaminated with debris it changes colour, from pale blue to dark green, providing a clear visible indicator that it is time to change the soak.

Alcohol-free, so that it does not dry out or irritate the Technician’s skin during frequent contact, other benefits associated with PumiceSafe are its pleasant minty fragrance, which helps generate a more pleasant working environment, and its glycerine and emollient content, which help keep the Technician’s hands softer and helps prevent them drying out due to contact with the various irritant chemicals and powders routinely found within Prosthetic Laboratories.

PumiceSafe is supplied in 5 litre refill containers and 500ml spray units for surface applications.

Cost effective

Competitively priced, using PumiceSafe enables Laboratories to use the same pumice for longer before it starts to smell and look unsightly. Consequently it saves time and money compared with traditional pumice/water slurry, which needs replacing at least weekly, if not daily, in heavy duty or warm weather use.

Not only is PumiceSafe nicer to use, but it saves Laboratories money too!
 

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