Microbial penetration of gloves following usage in routine dental procedures
Merchant, V.A.; Molinari, J.A.; Pickett, T.
American Journal of Dentistry 5(2): 95-96
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0894-8275 PMID: 1524755 Document Number: 388956
Unsterile polyvinyl, regular latex, and powder-free, modified latex examination gloves were evaluated following usage in routine dental procedures to assess their loss of integrity. Glove fingers were filled with a suspension of red-pigmented Serratia marcescens and drawn across the surface of tryptic soy agar plates. The appearance of red-pigmented Serratia colonies on the plates was used as an indication of glove defects. Unused, unwashed gloves taken at random from boxes served as controls. Of the gloves used in clinical procedures, 83.3% of the polyvinyl gloves, 35.0% of the regular latex gloves, and 7.5% of the powder-free, modified latex gloves allowed penetration of Serratia. Data thus suggest that advances in technology continue to develop a glove with more resistance than regular latex and vinyl gloves to routine clinical usage.