ReviewPathogens (Basel, Switzerland)2020
Microbial Contamination of Dental Unit Waterlines and Potential Risk of Infection: A Narrative Review.
Review in Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Bacterial biofilm prevalence in dental unit waterlines: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC oral health · 2023Pooled it
- Detection Efficacy of a Novel Disposable Dental Protective Device versus Medical Goggles in Reducing Splatter Exposure during Tooth Preparation: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Oral health & preventive dentistry · 2026Trial
- Implementation and Preliminary Evaluation of a Low-Cost Sodium Hypochlorite Shock Disinfection Protocol for Dental Unit Waterlines.Dentistry journal · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial resistance in dental unit waterlines: a scoping review of microbial diversity, resistance patterns, and knowledge gaps.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Review
- Species Diversity of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Dental Unit Waterlines: Implications for Infection Control and Clinical Practice.Infection and drug resistance · 2026Article
- Article
- Detection of non-tuberculous mycobacteria and other bacterial pathogens in dental unit waterlines, 2024, Germany: a microbiological single-centre study.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2026Article
- Bacterial contamination and diversity of dental unit waterlines across dental specialties, outlets and distinct times: heterotrophic bacteria counting and sequencing analysis.Journal of oral microbiology · 2026Article
- Bacterial Contamination in Dental Unit Water Lines at Primary Health Care Centers (2022-2023): A Nationwide Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Oral Healthcare: A Growing Concern in Dentistry.Dentistry journal · 2025Review
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa in dental unit waterlines: an emerging threat of virulence genes in healthcare-associated infections.BMC oral health · 2025Article
- Review
- Periodic detection and disinfection maintenance of dental unit waterlines in dental simulation head model laboratories.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Mycobiology of Dental Unit Water: A Systematic Scoping Review.International dental journal · 2025Article
- In vitro evaluation of hypochlorous acid-silver nanoparticle waterline disinfectant for dental unit waterline disinfection.BMC chemistry · 2025Article
- Microbial contamination levels in water derived from dental units used in small animal dentistry.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Article
- Metataxonomics study of dental bioaerosols affected by waterline disinfection.BMC oral health · 2024Article
- Bacterial contamination of new dental unit waterlines and efficacy of shock disinfection.BMC microbiology · 2024Article
- Effects of flushing of dental waterlines in portable dental units on water quality management.Journal of dental sciences · 2024Article
- Dental Unit Waterlines: Disinfection and Management.International dental journal · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Several studies have revealed that dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) are often contaminated by large numbers of various micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses). Microbial contamination in DUWLs may originate from the mains water piped into the dental unit, the suck-back of patients' saliva into the line due to the lack of adequate valves, and contamination from bottled water systems. Some of the main determinants of microbial contamination in DUWLs are: a very small lumen size (0.5-2 mm) of the tubing used, high surface-to-volume ratio (6:1), low throughput and the materials of which the tubing is made, water stagnation outside of working hours. The environmental conditions present inside the conduits of the dental unit may facilitate the proliferation of micro-organisms and the consequent formation of biofilm on the interior surface of the pipes of DUWLs. During the use of handpieces, particularly high-speed rotating instruments, a spray is thrown up in the form of aerosols or spatters containing biological material (saliva, blood and dental plaque) and micro-organisms. This means that the health of both dental staff and patients could be at risk of infection. The risk of cross-infections in dental settings can be tackled by implementing combined interventions to prevent the contamination of DUWLs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.