초록
<P>Background: Fumigation with hydrogen peroxide has proven to be a highly effective approach to maintaining biological safety within dental offices. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide (H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB>) fumigation in reducing bacterial levels in dental office environments. Methods: The study involved 30 participants diagnosed with moderate caries decay (ICDAS 3 and 4) in their mandibular molars. Sixty Petri dishes (two per patient) with Columbia Agar and 5% Sheep Blood were opened at the beginning of the caries treatment. After the completion of caries treatment and tooth restoration, 30 plates (G1 group) were closed. Following this, a 20 min fumigation procedure with 6% hydrogen peroxide biosanitizer using a compressed air device was conducted. After the fumigation, the remaining plates were closed (G2 group). The total number of bacteria CFUs (colony-forming units) in the dental office air was determined using the Koch sedimentation method. Results: The total bacterial colony (TBC) level, measured in cfu/m<SUP>3</SUP>, demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of bacteria following room environment fumigation (163.1 ± 145.7; G2 group) compared to non-fumigated samples (817.2 ± 208.2; G1 group) (<I>p</I> < 0.001). The predominant bacteria observed in the microbiological plates before fumigation were <I>Micrococcus</I> and <I>Bacillus</I> species, found in 80% (24/30) and 60% (18/30) of the plates, respectively. Application of H2O2 room fumigation resulted in a significant reduction in bacterial numbers: 79.2% (5/30) for <I>Micrococcus</I> species (<I>p</I> < 0.001), 83.3% (3/30) for <I>Bacillus</I> species (<I>p</I> < 0.001), and 100% (0/30) for <I>Staphylococcus arlettae</I> (<I>p</I> < 0.05). Conclusion: Fumigation with 6% H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> is an effective method for reducing bacterial counts in a dental office environment.</P>