Despite the progress in medicine, they still have not found a remedy that will be effective in combating the immunodeficiency virus. So the disease remains incurable. And that scares a lot of people. The only way to protect against HIV remains to prevent infection. Many people are still not familiar with the information that describes how to transmit the virus. Their knowledge is based only on unverified rumors and their own guesses. All this only increases the fear of infection. So today the question is very relevant: "Is it possible to get HIV from a dentist?" Methods of transmission of infection, the standards of sanitization of tools will be discussed in this article.
HIV in brief
Today, everyone knows that the abbreviation HIV stands for "human immunodeficiency virus." This disease is characterized by the fact that the smallest microorganisms cause people to malfunction in the protective functions of the body. The action of the virus can be described as follows. Once in the body, it infects the immune system, destroys the cells responsible for protecting against infections and destroying microbes.
Over time, a person becomes unable to resist either external infections, or bacteria or fungi. The virus propagates only inside a person. Outside the body, he dies. The temperature factor and humidity affect the duration of life outside the body. The virus dies when heated (over 56 degrees Celsius). Sterilization of dental instruments completely destroys HIV, because it is designed for more tenacious viruses and bacteria.
Virus Transmission Routes
The greatest likelihood of HIV transmission is from a person who is at the stage of completion of the incubation period, at the time of initial manifestation and at a late stage of the disease. The infection in question is referred to as long-term illnesses. The virus feels great in all human biological fluids (in blood, semen, vaginal secretion, breast milk, saliva, tears, sweat, etc.). It is worth noting that the virus contains in these biological fluids in different concentrations. This makes the difference in their epidemiological significance.
The biological substrates of humans that are most likely to transmit the infection include:
- blood;
- breast milk;
- vaginal discharge;
- sperm and pre-ejaculate.
It is worth noting that HIV infection is caused by the entry of pathogens into the internal environment of the body. We are interested in the question: “Can a dentist get HIV?” Therefore, we will consider the only possible way to transmit the infection - through the blood.
Dentistry HIV Prevention
It is no secret that cases of infection of patients in medical institutions, manicure rooms and other institutions have been recorded. The risk group includes all objects in which the provision of services involving surgical intervention or cosmetic manipulations is expected.
Dental clinics are no exception. A huge number of people turn to their offices every day. For this reason, it is especially important to comply with all sanitary standards and sterilize dental instruments. Today, every clinic has a preventive care plan. Fulfilling all the requirements, both a private dentist and a doctor at a state hospital protect themselves and patients from their office from infection.
Possible causes and features of infection in the dental office
We are interested in the likelihood and ways of infection of the dentist's patients. Can a dentist get HIV? Theoretically, yes. In a medical institution, you can get infected when the virus particles enter the blood once. For example, this can happen during the removal of a dental unit with an insufficiently sterile instrument. Repeated fractional exposure (microinfection) can also lead to the development of the disease in the patient. As a rule, the body, having good resistance, is able to withstand viruses. But not always the mucous membrane can work as a barrier.
When a person is treated in a clinic that has its own sterilization station, there is no risk of infection. The security guarantee is almost one hundred percent. Modern dental clinics in Moscow are almost all equipped with the highest standard. Here the so-called human factor can only play a cruel joke. It is possible that negligence in the prevention of infection of any of the staff. Therefore, the choice of a doctor should be approached with all responsibility.
How do dental clinics sterilize in Moscow?
The virus in question is sensitive to high temperature. Boiling kills him very quickly (60 seconds). The virus is not able to withstand the effects of disinfectants (hydrogen peroxide, chloramine solution, alcohol, ether and acetone).
Specialists of a modern clinic always follow sanitary rules in order to prevent infection. Dental instruments go through several stages of cleaning:
- disinfection;
- Preliminary processing;
- sterilization.
In addition to these manipulations, they carry out the procedure for detecting hidden blood on the instrument. The quality of sterilization is also monitored.
In dentistry, one-time use of the following devices and protective equipment has long been practiced:
- saliva ejector;
- injection needles;
- dental aprons and aspirators;
- gloves, masks.
Tips for Patients
There are several rules that will protect your trip to the dentist. For many patients, this event in itself causes stress. And if they are still worried by the question: “Can a dentist get HIV?”, A trip to the doctor may not take place at all. We offer several ways to kill two birds with one stone.
Firstly, attention switching will work . And this will distract the patient from fear of dental instruments.
Secondly, a person will feel much calmer when he can control the issue of his own security.
You must make sure that the doctor has opened the packaging of single-use instruments in front of your eyes.
Before the procedure, you can pay attention to the condition of the instruments, as well as to the cleanliness in the office.
Correct action in unusual situations is the key to safety. For example, the dentist was anesthetized, after which the doctor accidentally pricked with a needle. What to do? The specialist should use the Anti-AIDS first-aid kit, and not just change gloves and continue treatment.
Dental care for HIV patients
Federal law states that the prevention of the spread in the Russian Federation of diseases caused by the immunodeficiency virus also lies in the provision of medical care. Negotiated contact with the patient to a minimum. The doctor must preserve medical confidentiality. The law provides for disinfection measures. In connection with them, the expediency of placing sick patients in separate rooms was noted. Moreover, they must be equipped with the necessary equipment. For prophylactic purposes, it is recommended that all therapeutic manipulations be carried out last (after healthy patients).
Dental care for patients with HIV infection can be fully provided subject to the prescribed safety measures. In turn, people with HIV infection must notify staff of their status.
What to do if infection is suspected?
In general, experts recommend that all adults periodically be tested for HIV. This can be done with the help of rapid tests, which are implemented in drugstores. The patient will receive more reliable information in specialized offices. It is only necessary to donate blood and wait for the result.
Unfortunately, the early diagnosis of HIV infection is complicated by the fact that the initial symptoms also occur with other ailments. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to beware of the manifestation of unmotivated fatigue, increased sweating at night, headaches. In this case, high body temperature, prolonged diarrhea can be held. Symptoms of infection include:
- weight loss;
- furunculosis;
- swollen lymph nodes.
HIV can be suspected in diagnosing the following diseases:
- pneumonia (pneumocystis);
- Kaposi's sarcomas;
- brain toxoplasmosis;
- herpes zoster.
Instead of a conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to add that in the field of medicine and dentistry in particular, algorithms have long been developed that allow providing the population with the safest and most reliable treatment possible. Subject to all preventive and protective measures, the probability of HIV infection in the dentist's office is minimal. All this is determined by the responsible approach of the doctor and the clinic's management to their work and careful attention to even the most insignificant details. The responsibility of the choice of the clinic and specialist rests on the shoulders of the patients. A private dentist will arrange an appointment or a doctor on call - this decision is yours. It must be remembered that you always have the right to refuse to carry out manipulations if any actions of the doctor do not inspire confidence in you.