Dental Exposure

[rainyday562]

Hello, I had a recent experience at a dentists office that i am very concerned about. The office was dirty, and did not seem sanitary. There was no hygienist, and then dentist came out with the patient before me, and then took me right in. How did the tools get cleaned?? I have no idea. He only did a cleaning but I am concerned as to whether or not the handtools/mirror or suction were sterilized at all. The receptionist also told me when i called back to cancel my follow up appt. that she does not go to him and wouldnt go to him but she wouldnt tell me why because she was right outside his office. This really made me nervous. I am not very educated on Hepatitis and its different types. Do I have reason to believe I could have been exposed to any form? I would really appreciate any advice that could be provided. Thanks in advance.

[Rockerforlife]

Ya think?

[jdwithhcv]

Rocker, the JAMA article you just posted deals with practitioners being infected by patients, not the reverse.

[Rockerforlife]

Failure of gloves and other protective devices to prevent transmission of hepatitis B virus to oral surgeons.

JAMA 1988 May 6;259(17):2558-60 Reingold AL, Kane MA, Hightower AW Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.  

     A survey of 434 oral surgeons was conducted to examine risk factors for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Overall, 112 (26%) of the participants demonstrated serologic evidence of past or current infection with HBV. Seropositivity was significantly associated with age, number of years in practice, and year of graduation from dental school but not with other variables examined, such as the number of patients seen annually or the number of patients seen who were at high risk of HBV infection. The strong correlation between years in practice and seropositivity was unaffected by reported use of gloves, face masks, or eye shields. The use of gloves and other protective devices does not appear to offer substantial protection against HBV exposure in oral surgeons, and all oral surgeons should receive HBV vaccine. PMID: 3357229, UI: 88188297    

[Rockerforlife]

I am not saying ALL dentists are to blame ,but even you admitted that sod are bad.

[cindyh113]

I have had this one my mind to ask for some time. While I was on TX I wondered if I could re-infect myself with my own toothbrush so I was soaking it in alcohol. And spraying alcohol around on the sink to clean. Then I hear alcohol isn't that great for killing virus. Every morning when I brush my teeth, I wonder if this is why I relapsed. I still clean with the alcohol and careful to keep it away from me.
And for those who don't know, Trin, relapsed after 72 weeks. I hate this virus!

[cindyh113]

All I know is this Stinking, Killing, Damnation of a Virus don't want to die!!!
So, let me throw another way into the fire. What about abortion clinics? I comparing ways of getting this thing, I have found this to be common among some of my friends. A few months ago when there were people coming out of 3 different VA hospitals with Hep C and HIV, just one more stinking virus to worry about, after having colonoscopy's,  I had to wonder how an abortion clinic could possibly clean everything appropriately. Too much blood, too many clients and too little time.
Sorry if this is too controversial, but needs to be thought about.