Study on the Change in the Number of Airborn Bacteria in the Operating Room of the Pediatric Dentistry

Abstract

In order to estimate the cleanliness of the air in the operating room of the Pediatric Department of Okayama University Dental School, the relationship between the number of airborn bacteria and the number of persons present in the operating room including the time was estimated using the air sampler method. The following results were obtained.
1. A significant relationship was observed between the number of airborn bacteria and the number of patients (r=0.67, p<0.01, n=233) and persons present in the operating room (r=0.60, p<0.01, n=233 ).
2. The number of airborn bacteria increased after an operation started and reached a high level around 11 o'clock in the morning and decreased at lunch time, but after that time it gradually increased to the maximum around 3 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The pattern of the increase of airborn bacteria correlated to the increase of persons present in the operating room.