How to use Alpron and FAQs

Alpron is the UKs leading dental unit waterline treatment product, and is clinically proven to produce drinking quality water when used as part of the BRS system.

This article will teach you how to use Alpron effectively and answer some common questions we get about Alpron.

Prior to introducing Alpron - Samplers and BRS

Before using Alpron in your dental chairs, you need to investigate If there is any contamination already in your chair. If there is contamination or biofilm present, Alpron will be ineffective. 

Assessing contamination is simple, use one of our HPC Samplers. Samplers will give you a quantifiable reading of contamination in the dental unit. Count the dots that appear on the slide after 7 days. Below 100 dots means the unit is producing drinking quality water and Alpron can be introduced.

If there are more than 100 dots, the unit is not producing drinking quality water. You will need to use one of our biofilm removal kits to clean the chair before using Alpron. You can watch our video on performing a BRS here, and how to perform a Sampler test here.

QWS Water Testing Red Samplers

Samplers will give you an accurate assessment of contamination in a DUWLs.

How to use Alpron - Mixing Alpron to 1% solution

Alpron is used at a 1% concentration to maintain the cleanliness of waterlines. Use the mixing chart below to achieve a 1% concentrate solution. Store the mixed Alpron in the Alpron Storage Container or another suitable opaque container. You can use distilled or if unavailable potable tab water to mix the Alpron solution.

For example, to make 5 Litres of mixed 1% Alpron solution, mix 50mls of Alpron with 4950mls of potable water (Tap or distilled). Fill the clean water bottle with the mixed Alpron solution. If you have just completed a BRS procedure, flush half of the mixed solution through each of the lines to remove any residual chemicals. Your chair is now ready for surgery.

Daily Flushing

Alpron must be flushed through the lines regularly to ensure it is fresh in the lines. Flush 1 minute morning and night and 30 seconds between patients. Minimum requirements apply to each outlet including those not routinely used.

Flushing Morning and Night
0 Minute
Between Patients
0 Seconds

The Clean Water Bottle - Should it be taken off at night?

No, leave the bottle on at all times, unless refilling with Alpron or cleaning the water bottle.

Alpron is a continuous use product and thus must be in the system at all times to be effective. The HTM01-05 has caused some confusion with practices as it states that the clean water bottle should be removed at night and air dried. This is not the case with the Alpron system. The HTM goes on to state;

Where manufacturers provide protocols for daily cleaning, these should be applied.

Disinfection of DUWLs should be carried out periodically. In all cases, the manufacturer’s instructions should be consulted.

HTM01-05 - Dental Unit Waterlines

As the manufacturer’s instructions state to leave the bottle on, you are complying with the HTM01-05 by leaving the bottle on.

Clean water bottle cleaning

The clean water bottle should be disinfected weekly. Use BC-San to routinely disinfect your water bottle and prevent any contamination from entering your DUWL via the water bottle.

Regular auditing with Samplers

As part of the Alpron protocol, we suggest regular sampling with HPC Samplers. This shows that your units are producing drinking quality water and form part of your legionella risk assessment. Our Compliance Club makes keeping on top of your audit easy, whilst also providing you with water quality certification.

Routine disinfection and downtime with Bilpron

Routine disinfection using Bilpron should be performed as recommended by your chair manufacturer, or weekly using the weekend method. For more information, see our Bilpron Guide and FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

Does Alpron have clinical evidence to support its use/effectiveness?

Yes! Alpron has been clinically proven to reduce microbial loads in dental unit waterlines.

An additional study was also performed in France. Alpron, Bilpron and the BRS system was used in 68 dental chairs, with water samples taken regularly over a 6 year period. Of the 628 samples taken over this period, there was only a single instance of one of the chairs not producing drinking quality water (99.8% compliance). In addition, 90% of the chairs showed zero C.F.U and there was no detection of Legionella or Pseudomonas bacteria. A copy of this study can be found here.

When you choose Alpron, you can be safe in the knowledge you are using a product with fantastic clinical evidence and years of real world use.

How long can I store mixed Alpron for?

Mixed Alpron can be stored for up to 7 days in an opaque container.

Do I remove the clean water bottle?

No, leave the clean water bottle on at all times, unless refilling with Alpron or cleaning the bottle itself.

How long do I flush the lines for?

Flush 1 minute morning and night and 30 seconds between patients.

Is Alpron suitable for use on my chair?

Yes, Alpron and the BRS system have excellent material compatibility and are approved for use on most major chair manufactures including, Chirana-Dental, Heka Dental, Planmeca, Ritter, Dentsply Sirona.

If your chair has a built in decontamination system, please give us a call before using the Alpron system for specific instructions.

What certifications does Alpron have?

Alpron passes – ISO 16954:2015 – Dentistry — Test methods for dental unit waterline biofilm treatment. In addition, it is CE marked, a Class 11a medical device as well as Bactericidal and Yeastercidal.

Is Alpron safe to use on my patients?

Yes, Alpron is physiologically harmless and safe for use on humans. Alpron does have a mint taste, however this is artificial and won’t cause any issues for patients allergic to mint.

What ingredients are in Alpron?

Alpron is a mixture of biguanides, complexing agents and tosychloramide sodium.

 

 

 

We hope you found this article useful. If you need any of the products mentioned in this article, you can purchase direct from us below.

Our Compliance Club makes keeping on top of your dental waterlines easy, we send out everything required on a quarterly basis and provide waterline certification.

Did you know we’re not just a waterline company? We have a full range of dental infection control products, from surface cleaning to decon equipment we have it all. See what we offer here.