Christmas Closing Dates 2025
As we get closer to the festive period we would like to take a moment to update you on our Christmas closing schedule. Christmas Closing Dates Our final date for
3rd November 2025
In the dental decontamination cycle, disinfection is a bridging step between cleaning and sterilisation. It is commonly misunderstood and often conflated with cleaning – they are however two distinct processes.
Disinfection is the process of reducing the total number of viable microorganisms on a surface or instrument. Disinfection kills or inactivates microorganisms, through either chemicals or through thermal devices.
Cleaning, on the other hand, is the physical removal of gross soil, such as blood — through methods like manual scrubbing. An instrument may look visually clean and free of bioburden, but harmful microorganisms can still remain on its surface.
Cleaning should always be performed before disinfection, soils such as blood can shield microorganisms from the disinfection process, preventing their destruction.
The disinfection stage of the decontamination cycle offers several process benefits to practices:
Improved operator safety
After the initial clean, instruments are inspected, packed, and sterilised. Incorporating a disinfection stage dramatically improves operator safety by reducing the number of microbes on instruments during these manual handling stages.
Improved sterilisation outcomes
Sterilisation processes are validated to achieve a defined Sterility Assurance Level (SAL), commonly 10⁻⁶ in healthcare. An SAL of 10⁻⁶ means that, under the validated conditions, the probability of a viable microorganism surviving the sterilisation process is no greater than 1 in 1,000,000.
Effective cleaning and disinfection substantially reduce the initial microbial load on an instrument before sterilisation. This reduction in bioburden supports the effectiveness and reliability of the subsequent sterilisation cycle.
All disinfection methods fall into two main categories: chemical and thermal. Both methods have distinct use cases and applications.
Chemical Disinfection
Chemical disinfection uses a liquid disinfectant solution to reduce microbial load. It is generally less preferred to thermal disinfection due to the high number of variables required for effective use. Despite this, chemical disinfectants still have a role in infection control — particularly for heat-sensitive instruments that cannot withstand the high temperatures of a washer-disinfector or steriliser
When using chemical disinfectants:
Thermal Disinfection
Thermal disinfection uses high temperatures to denature proteins and render instruments safe and disinfected. In dental the primary method for thermal disinfection is the washer-disinfector. After instruments are cleaned and rinsed in the washer-disinfector, the temperature of the load is raised and held for a specified period – usually 80°C for 10 minutes; or 90°C for 1 minute.
Thermal disinfection is highly effective against all types of microorganisms. Bacterial Spores can however resist thermal disinfection which is one of the reasons why instruments still require sterilisation after processing in a washer-disinfector.
No—ultrasonic baths are designed to clean instruments, not disinfect them.
Ultrasonic baths operate through cavitation, using high-frequency sound waves to create microscopic bubbles that implode against instrument surfaces. This provides an exceptional physical scrub, making them highly effective at dislodging trapped soil, blood, and bioburden from hard-to-reach hinges and lumens.
However, ultrasonic baths do not reach the high temperatures required to thermally disinfect instruments. Furthermore, while the detergents added to the bath aid in breaking down organic debris, they are formulated as cleaning agents rather than high-level disinfectants. An instrument removed from an ultrasonic tank may look visually spotless, but live microorganisms can still remain on its surface.
Need help with your disinfection processes or any part of the decontamination cycle? Get a free review of your decontamination procedures from our expert team — fully tailored to your practice.
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BIB forte eco
Instrument Disinfectant
While standard ultrasonic detergents only clean, adding a liquid disinfectant like BIB forte eco transforms your ultrasonic bath into a dual-action cleaning and disinfection system. Formulated specifically for dental and medical instruments, burs, and endodontic tools, BIB forte eco gives you the flexibility to achieve effective chemical disinfection either as an ultrasonic additive or as a standalone cold-soak immersion solution.
Aldehyde & Phenol Free: Gentile on sensitive instruments while providing broad-spectrum antimicrobial action.
Versatile Application: Dual-use as a cold disinfection solution or an ultrasonic bath additive.
Cost-Effective Concentrate: High-yield formulation ensures low cost-per-use for busy practices.
As we get closer to the festive period we would like to take a moment to update you on our Christmas closing schedule. Christmas Closing Dates Our final date for
Dental Handpieces are a critical tool used in routine and complex dental treatments. Inside the head of a high-speed handpiece, a turbine the size of a fingernail spins at speeds
In the dental decontamination cycle, disinfection is a bridging step between cleaning and sterilisation. It is commonly misunderstood and often conflated with cleaning – they are however two distinct processes.