Manual and ultrasonic detergents – the choice is yours
At dentisan we offer three key detergents for manual and ultrasonic instrument cleaning – Dentisan 100, Neutrasan and Dentizyme. As a Research and Development Chemist I’m part of the team responsible for testing and development at dentisan, so I’m often asked why there is a need for these different cleaning products and what the difference is between them.
Cleaning is a central part of dental instrument reprocessing. Effective cleaning is essential before sterilisation in order to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents. HTM 01-05 states that cleaning using a washer disinfector is ‘best practice’, but also recognises that manual and ultrasonic cleaning are still two of the principal methods of cleaning reusable dental instruments.
Each of our detergents has its place in the decontamination cycle, but the ultimate choice comes down to personal and practice preference. Some dental nurses like to use enzyme-containing products, which help to break down the soil on instruments, whereas some prefer a traditional non-enzymatic detergent, which relies more on detergency and manual agitation.
What’s the difference?
At dentisan, we have a wide range of experience and in-depth knowledge of detergents using both surfactant (a substance which tends to reduce the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved) technology and surfactant/ enzyme technology.
Neutrasan and Dentizyme are the main products used in general instrument cleaning. The main difference between Neutrasan and Dentizyme is that Dentizyme contains a blend of enzymes to assist with the breakdown of soil. Neutrasan, however, contains a specific blend of surface active agents which give the product its detergency (cleaning power), without the need for enzymes. Both products are intended for manual and ultrasonic cleaning of dental instruments and provide excellent cleaning results on a daily basis.
Cleaning efficacy can be boosted by the use of our pre-treatment foam Dentifoam, which prevents soil from drying on instruments during the time between use and reprocessing. Our research has shown significantly improved protein removal from instruments where pre-treatment foam is used between instrument use and reprocessing.
Dentisan 100, is a heavy duty alkaline cleaner for cleaning tenacious soils such as those that have been dried on instruments for a period of time or those that are particularly heavily soiled.
Laura Yates is a Research and Development Chemist at dentisan. Laura’s blog will appear here regularly on the dentisan website.
For dentisan VIP members, visit our online Technical Forum: Ask Laura, where Laura is happy to answer any questions you may have on the dentisan product range or the topic of infection control in general.
