Gloves

· Gloves MUST be worn for all treatment of patients.

· Data from controlled experiments show the following:

    · A proportion of new gloves are likely to have primary holes. This proportion is very high for vinyl gloves and but much lower for latex gloves.

    · Washing causes deterioration of gloves and produces secondary holes which increase leakage of all glove types.

    · Washing gloves, like washing hands, does NOT assure consistent removal of all microbial contamination.

· Therefore, to assure prevention of cross infection:

    · Latex gloves should be worn, and a new pair should be used for each patient.

    · Gloves MUST NOT be worn outside the clinics.

    · Gloves must be removed and hands carefully washed in an identified hand-washing sink and dried with clean paper towels.

    · Similarly, gloves used in treatment of patients MUST NOT be worn for taking materials to the dental technicians' laboratory.