Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41868088›Full record

ArticleJournal of oral microbiology2026

Bacterial contamination and diversity of dental unit waterlines across dental specialties, outlets and distinct times: heterotrophic bacteria counting and sequencing analysis.

Yuanhui Qiu, Lili Jiang, Xiaorong Zhang, Xinyang Xu, Yuru Wang, Dan Chen, Yuheng Zhang, Jun Zheng, Shaohua Ge, Peng Chen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of oral microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yuanhui QiuDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Lili JiangDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Xiaorong ZhangDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Xinyang XuDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Yuru WangDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Dan ChenDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Yuheng ZhangDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Jun ZhengDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Shaohua GeDepartment of Periodontology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Peng ChenDepartment of Healthcare-associated Infection Management, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Research Center of Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1100-3894

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have indicated severe contamination in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs), yet systematic investigations remain limited. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined bacterial contamination in DUWLs across three tertiary hospitals, collecting water samples from seven dental specialties and four DUWL outlets at two sampling times (Time 1 and 2). Heterotrophic Bacteria Counting method was performed and the percentage of compliant water samples (≤100 CFU/mL) was used to assess the contamination level. Bacterial diversity and community structure were analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing. Results: Among 1,454 samples from 188 dental chair units (DCUs), 74.3% (Time 1) and 73.5% (Time 2) were compliant. The percentage of compliant water samples varied by specialties and outlets, with the highest in Periodontics (96.4%, 94.6%) and water cup filler (84.0%, 85.9%), while the lowest in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (28.0%, 31.7%) and nurse air/water syringe (63.4%, 63.5%). 16S rDNA sequencing revealed significant differences in bacterial species richness, diversity, and community structure among specialties at Time 1 (all Conclusions: The bacterial concentration and diversity of DUWLs were influenced by dental specialties, and refined disinfection and management strategies should be used to control bacterial contamination.

Indexed as

16S rDNA sequencingbacterial communitybacterial contaminationdental treatment waterDental unit waterlines (DUWLs)pathogens

Identifiers

PMID41868088
PMCPMC13003891

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.