Practice Tips #78: Spring Clean Your Water System

Water is a crucial resource to dentistry, so it is important to keep your water system clean. For World Water Day we wanted to give you some dental practice tips for maintaining your self-contained water systems. Let us introduce you to a product to assist in making sure your water is clean for your patients.

We offer the whole DentaPure line to customers. Some of these products have an in-line filter that connects into your water bottles. They safely and continuously release iodine into your water lines to help provide clean, safe dental water. The ADA helps explain more about maintaining your dental unit waterlines further here.

If you need help installing a self-contained water system, we created a video back in Practice Tips #55 to assist you in doing so.

Products Made to Help

The DentaPure cartridges (#49-300 and #49-301) are designed to be used only in water bottle systems. Make sure to store them at room temperature and out of the sunlight. Do NOT use heated water, because it promotes the growth of bacteria. Wear gloves and safety glasses when installing.

Before beginning the installation and to obtain maximum bacterial reduction, clean the water lines in your delivery unit system with an approved cleaner (#30-627 or #49-21).

Installation:

1. First turn unit off and relieve air pressure within the bottle (we are using the #49-18 system in the demo) before or when removing the bottle.
2. Place the bottle next to the tube to check the length of existing internal waterline. The tube should extend the length of the bottle, almost touching the bottom of the bottle.
   
3. Attach DentaPure's enclosed luer lock adapter to the top of the tube and place it next to the water pick up line to accurately determine where to cut the waterline.
   
4. Push the DentaPure tube onto the remainder of the waterline, making sure the tube will be slightly above the bottom of the bottle.
   
5. Fill the water bottle as usual, re-install the bottle and purge the lines. NOTE: discoloration of tubing from blue to green or black is normal. The release of activated carbo causes the discoloration of tube or water. Continue the water flow until the water runs clear.

Keep in Mind These Guidelines:

• Use the DentaPure cartridge only in dental water bottle systems.
• Empty the water bottle every night and replace on the manifold after wiping down the outside of the DentaPure tube. Make sure the intake end is not obstructed.
• Flush the waterlines every morning and in-between patients, as recommended by the CDC and ADA.
• Change the DentaPure tube after the prescribed water usage (60-day or 365-day) or if the records of usage are not kept. Use the iodine sensitive test strips to verify the performance.
• For disposal, wrap the tube tightly in newspaper and dispose of in trash.