The effect of aerosol suction distance during brushing brackets of orthodontic patients on the presence of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus

Dentists are one of the professions most at risk infection transmission because dental care potentially produces many infectious aerosols for bacterial transmission. Using personal protective equipment and aerosol suction that meets standards dentists is vital to prevent cross-infection in patients practice. This study aims determine effect distance on orthodontic patient bracket brushing process total plate number presence Streptococcus Staphylococcus dentist’s face shield. The method used swab shield by after brackets with variations oral cavity 10 cm, 15 20 cm. After 2 x 24 hours incubation, count was calculated, were identified analyzing characteristics growing colonies executing catalase test. results showed lowest found a cm from cavity, 1.23 ± 0.01 CFU/cm2. one-way ANOVA test obtained significance value p < 0.05, concluding variation affects number. bacteria negative positive Staphylococcus.