In the dental industry, dental aerosol produced from dental instruments can create indoor air quality concerns possibly leading to respiratory infections and disease transmission. Dental aerosol can remain airborne and land on nearby surfaces leading to possible inhalation or direct contact of bacteria and pathogens. In order to protect the respiratory health of dentists, dental assistants, and patients, offices must implement infection control procedures to minimize dental aerosol clouds.

Dental aerosol is created from the use of compressed air and water in dental tools forming a suspension of solid and liquid particles in a gas. Dental instruments that can create dental aerosol include low-speed and high-speed handpieces, lasers, electrosurgery units, ultrasonic scalers, and air polishers. Ultrasonic scalers and high-speed handpieces generate much higher levels of dental aerosol than other tools. Dental aerosol can be composed of water, saliva, plaque, microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungus, viruses, and protozoa), and metabolites (such as endotoxins and toxins). Over 700 microbial species can be found within the human mouth with the type and severity dependent on the patient’s age, tooth eruption, tooth loss, disease status, and/or drug use.
Dental aerosol can be classified as 3 different sizes:

Splatter - Splatter is dental aerosol larger than 50 microns that easily falls and contaminates countertops, floors, and other surfaces in a dental office.

Droplets – Droplets are dental aerosol smaller than 50 microns that can be airborne and evaporate to form droplet nuclei.

Droplet Nuclei - Droplet nuclei are smaller than 10 microns, can reach up to3 feet away from the procedure, stay airborne for 30 minutes, and penetrate deep within the lungs. 90% of dental aerosol is smaller than 5 microns.