Influence on storage and packing to maintain the sterility of dental equipment

Abstract

The aim of this search was to verify the expiration date of the packed and stored sterilized equipment under diverse conditions; 395 metal specimens were done and subdivided into six different groups made of 65 elements soon after being contaminated by the Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 19433, NEWPROV). Each group was packed with Kraft paper, crepe paper, surgical-grade paper with film, aluminum paper, double raw cotton fabric and Denim. Soon after being submitted to sterilization, the packages were subdivided into thirty of each kind placed into a plastic box and then closed, while the others remained spread inside the same closed locker. After 7, 15, 30, 45, 90 and 148 days, the specimens inside the five packages of different packing materials and storage were inoculated by cultivation means and incubated at 37oC for forty-eight hours. After this time, microbiological analysis was carried out in order to check the sterility maintenance of the specimens. All the specimens remained sterile until the end of the experiment in the tested conditions of packing and storage. However, it is recommended to Health Institutions to develop specific studies to validate the materials´ sterilization maintenance time according to their own routine.