Cold Fogging With Hypochlorous Acid
Author: Dr. David Dickerhoff, DDS, MAGD, FOCOI
As we address the risks of navigating through the perils of this pandemic, I wanted to keep you informed of where we are today with our efforts to ensure your safety as well as ours. The efforts on our part to obtaining the standard gear for precautions has been fruitful. We have supply masks, N95 masks, gowns, gloves, hairnets and washable scrubs and lab coats in order to adequately treat our patients. We have enacted and trained on policies and procedures to protect your health as we see you for your appointment. The next step we are taking is to improve the air quality within our practice and to better identify and treat the nooks and crannies where coronavirus may be hiding within our work environment.
Each operatory within the practice has been fitted with an air filtration system with a HEPA filter and UV lighting that lowers the aerosol bacteria counts within that room. Running this system continuously will help us to better deal with the aerosols that we generate through our ultrasonic and handpiece usage.
Recent studies have made the practice of dentistry aware of cold fogging with hypochlorous acid. This is not a new “magic bullet” that dentistry is grasping onto in order to address the concerns of an at-risk public. Cold fogging is a very common methodology used in many worksites. The airline industry uses it to recycle their cabins between flights. Food production uses it to clean fruit. Hypochlorous acid in the right concentration is used in lubricating eye drops and used to irrigate wounds in a diabetic sore. It has been shown to be extremely safe, non-caustic, non-irritating and effective against the RNA virus membrane, such as the membrane lining the COVID-19 virus.
We, at Spring Lake Dental Group are using it to fog the operatories between each patient. We fog each other prior to disrobing our existing PPE and before we start each shift. Common areas are frequently fogged and fogging is used as an adjunct to current wiping down of surfaces that is practiced routinely.
As more and more information is learned about the infectivity and longevity of this particular virus, we are constantly adapting our strategies in combating it. The increased costs of battling this new phenomena as well as the increased spacing between patient appointments in order to achieve this level of infection control, presents challenges to us all. The new paradigm that faces us during this difficult time has challenged us all. I hope that as we get back to “the new normal”, you will be assured that we at Spring Lake Dental Group understand that there is a risk in providing outstanding care to our patients. e take this risk seriously and are doing our level best to minimize those risks.
So as you put up with all the new hoops that we are jumping through in order to provide safe and effective care, we want you to know that we appreciate having you as a patient and value your health and welcome any input that you may have concerning your oral health.
Remain optimistic and stay safe as we navigate these rough waters……together.
Comments are closed.