Research Summary abstract
British Dental Journal 190, 85 (2001)
Published online: 27 January 2001 | doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4800889
Should we be using safety syringes?
M V Martin1
- Clinical dental practice has always carried a risk of sharps injury and a third of such injuries are sustained from non-disposable local anaesthetic syringes, usually during removal and disposal of the needle.
- Sharps injuries carry a risk of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B/C and HIV and the distress such injuries cause can be considerable.
- This study describes the reduction in the incidence of sharps injuries in a dental school following introduction of a safety syringe system, compared with a 'control' unit.
- The control unit also reduced their incidence of injuries, demonstrating the value of education and awareness, but this reduction was not as great.
- The cost of safety syringes is comparable to that of non-disposables in this setting.
- In the light of such evidence, the authors urge dental practitioners to use safety syringes to provide a safer working environment for themselves and their staff.
Abstract
Aim
How an appropriate safety syringe was chosen, how the change-over to it was achieved and what outcome measures were used to measure the effectiveness of this change.
Introduction
One third of all reported sharps injuries in dental practice are due to the use of non disposable dental syringes with most injuries being sustained during removal and disposal of the disposable needle from the non-disposable syringe.
Method
After evaluation of all available disposable safety syringes they were introduced into a dental school after appropriate education of all staff and students. Risk management provided data on all reported needle-stick injuries in the dental school and a control unit using non disposable syringes for a period of two years.
Results
Avoidable needle stick injuries reduced from an average of 11.8 to 0 injuries per 1,000,000 hours worked per year as compared with a control unit who reduced their frequency from 26 to 20 injuries per 1,000,000 hours worked. The cost of safety syringes is comparable to non-disposable syringes but the reduction in cost of management of needle stick injuries including the psychological effects are significant.
Conclusion
Education plays a vitally important role in the effective implementation of the change to safety syringes which is advocated for all dentists.
- Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Oral Microbiology, University of Liverpool
