Don’t ditch those resolutions

It’s February. It’s cold and dark, the Christmas bills have dropped through the letterbox and summer seems a very long way away. It’s the time when enthusiasm for New Year’s resolutions can easily wane, the gyms that were packed during the first weeks of January will have returned to normal levels, as the majority of new members retreat back to the comfort of their sofa.

The problem is that good intentions are not on their own enough to be successful - no one achieves physical fitness by visiting the gym once or twice, the intention needs to be supported by processes that mean that good habits become part of one’s normal routine. This analogy can also apply to the processes that take place in a dental practice and are particularly applicable in terms of infection control procedures, which should be routinely carried out on a regular basis to ensure compliance with regulations. The control of biofilm, that can rapidly build in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) is an ideal example of a procedure, that if undertaken regularly, will show positive results in a relatively short period of time. The control and eradication of biofilm is essential if practices are to comply with infection control guidelines and should be seen not only as a means of disturbing the growth of pathogenic bacteria, but also as a means of protecting patients and staff from potential infection due to either direct contact or inhalation of aerosolised mist expelled from handpieces.