Low-cost screening for microbial contaminants in aerosols generated in a dental office.

It has been reported that aerosols and droplets generated by high-speed dental drills and cavitrons are contaminated with blood and bacteria and represent a potential route for transmitting disease. Bacterial cells possess a negative electrical charge, while the cathode ray tubes (CRT) that are used in computer monitors generate positively charged static electric fields. Consequently, bacteria dispersed within these aerosols could be attracted to the screens on CRT monitors. In this study, pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus were found on CRT screens in different locations within the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry facility. The results suggest that surveying CRT screens is a simple method for evaluating the airborne microbial contaminants present within a dental office.