"Dental practices should immediately take prudent measures to provide quality water for dental treatment and ensure a safe and healthy environment for patients and staff. …The use of water for dental therapeutic procedures that fails to meet established standards for drinking water is inconsistent with recognized standards of infection control and can potentially undermine public confidence in the dental profession."
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Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) – Annapolis, MD
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"Exposing patients or DHCP (dental health care personnel) to water of uncertain microbiological quality, despite the lack of documented adverse health effects, is inconsistent with accepted infection-control principles.
"Thus, the number of bacteria in water used as a coolant/irrigant for nonsurgical dental procedures should be as low as reasonably achievable and, at a minimum, < 500 CFU/mL, the regulatory standard for safe drinking water established by EPA and APHA/AWWA.
"… [treatment] methods demonstrated to be effective include self-contained water systems combined with chemical treatment, in-line microfilters, and combinations of these treatments. Simply using source water containing < 500 CFU/mL of bacteria (e.g., tap, distilled, or sterile water) in a selfcontained water system will not eliminate bacterial contamination in treatment water if biofilms in the water system are not controlled."– MMWR December 19, 2003 / Vol. 52 / No. RR-17 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – Atlanta, GA
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