Glove perforations after dental care

OBJECTIVE: To assess surgical and procedure glove perforations after dental care. METHODS: A total of 279 pairs of gloves pairs were analyzed, 36 surgical and 243 procedure gloves used in the dentistry specialties surgery, cosmetic dentistry, endodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics. A diluted alkaline solution of fuchsine in water was used for analyzing the gloves. Each glove was filled with 500 ml of the solution and manually pressed at the height of the wrist for two minutes. Statistical analysis included the chi-square test at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Of the 279 study gloves, 106 had been perforated, corresponding to 38%. Most perforations occurred in the dominant hand, mainly in the finger area. Most procedures that caused perforations lasted more than 40 minutes, and most were in the area of cosmetic dentistry. CONCLUSION: There were a considerable number of perforations in the study gloves, which can increase the risk of cross-infection between students and patients.