Uso del dique de goma para el control de aerosoles y transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas. Revisión sistemática.

Abstract

Introduction: The production of aerosols during dental procedures is a situation that has been tried to control over time because it has been proven that the microorganisms found in the mouth can be transported by means of them. There are several implements that function as a protective barrier against these, one of them and which is the main issue, is the rubber dam. Objective: To discuss what has been found in the literature about the use of the rubber dam as a barrier against contamination by aerosols. Methodology: 190 articles were selected, of which 20 were included and included for the final work. Said articles were found in Spanish / English language and varied in a range of time between 1980-2020. Results: The rubber dam works as a method to reduce bacterial contamination by up to 98% and its use minimizes the risk of cross infection. Among the infectious diseases that can be transmitted through the air, tuberculosis (20%), hepatitis B (19%) and HIV (17%) were the most mentioned. Finally, it was found that only 22% of the articles reviewed report on the control of contaminated aerosols and 78% relate their use to other reasons. Conclusion: Indeed, the rubber dam allows the reduction of contaminated aerosol particles and the risk of cross-infection, so it is necessary to promote its use especially during aerosol generation procedures.