uct performance. Quat products with higher alcohol contents gener-ally are Tuberculocidal, whereas pure quat products and those with lower alcohol concentrations gener-ally are not. Examples of high concentration, new generation quat/alcohol prod-ucts are Palmero Health Care’s DisCide ULTRA Disinfecting Liquid, Spray, and Towelettes. All the DisCide line of products, have a one-minute or less contact time against a wide range of microbial pathogens. DisCide ULTRA has the same fast-acting formula for both of its disinfecting products. It is important that good hand hygiene follow protocol. Keep in mind that for hands to pick up microorganisms, these organisms were originally on a surface such as a computer, desk, chair, etc. These microorganisms have to be killed at the source and it can be done in one minute with the right product. There has been great concern about the “Superbugs.” Ever think that maybe these “Superbugs” are being created because they are only partially being disinfected and have mutated as a form of self-preserva-tion. In many healthcare environ-ments, infections such as C. Diffi-cile, MRSA, and gram-negative have begun to spiral out of control. Using the right disinfectant could save thousands of lives and even thousands more in lawsuits. When choosing a disinfectant it is important to determine the appli-cation and how much time you want to spend on disinfecting. No one has the time to put a stop watch on a product to ensure the surface is wet for the required contact time. If the product used is evaporating before the kill claim time is reached, the product is inef-fective and isn’t doing its job. Read the label of the disinfectant carefully and completely. Some containers will say they kill x-germ in one-minute, while other types of germs can take three, five, or even ten minutes. Are you willing to put the responsibility on your staff to disin-fect according to the label directions? This in turn puts the onus on the user to follow the directions and this could have detrimental results. Make sure any disinfectant product is regis-tered with the EPA. Ask questions of the manufacturer, get copies of effi-cacy tests. It is for your protection. You “DisCide” which disinfec-tant is smarter to use: a one-minute, one-step disinfectant, or something else. 18 May/June 2012 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society May-June 2012: Page 18
