Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

DENTAL TRIBUNE | November 2011 Industry News 31A AD When caring for their patients, dental and health-care profession- als are constantly exposed to bodily fluids that may carry viruses and other infectious agents. It is there- fore critical that the gloves they use provide them with the best possible barrier protection. Many types of gloves are avail- able today, but it is important to know that not all gloves have the same barrier capability, depend- ing on the type of material used. For example, natural-rubber latex gloves have long been acknowl- edged for their effective barrier properties, while numerous studies have shown non-latex gloves, such as vinyl (PVC), to be inferior in barrier capability. Other synthetic gloves, such as nitrile and polyiso- prene, perform much better than vinyl, but are more costly, espe- cially polyisoprene gloves. Using gloves with inferior barrier capa- bility could expose both patients and users to undesirable/harmful infections. Malaysia is the world’s larg- est medical gloves exporter (latex and nitrile). Both quality and user safety are of top priority to the nation’s glove industry. To this end, a quality certification program (the Standard Malaysian Gloves or the SMG) has been formulated for latex examination gloves. All SMG-certified gloves must comply with stringent technical specifications to ensure the gloves are high in barrier effectiveness and low in protein/low-allergy risks. Additional criteria are excel- lent comfort, fit and durability — qualities that manufacturers of many synthetic gloves are attempt- ing to replicate. Furthermore, latex gloves are green products, derived from a natural and sustainable resource, making them environ- ment-friendly. For more information, please visit www.smg-online.biz and www. latex glove.info. The use of low-protein, powder- free gloves has been demonstrated by many independent hospital stud- ies to vastly reduce the incidence of latex sensitization and allergic reactions in workplaces. More importantly, latex-allergic indi- viduals donning non-latex gloves can now work alongside coworkers who are wearing the improved low- protein latex gloves — without any heightened allergy concern. How- ever, for latex-allergic individuals, it is important that they use appro- priate non-latex gloves that provide effective barrier protection, such as quality nitrile and polyisoprene gloves. Selecting the right gloves should be an educated consideration to enhance safety of both patients and users. For decades, gloves made in Malaysia have been synonymous with quality and excellence; and they are widely available in an extensive array of brands, features and prices. They can be sourced either factory-direct (www.mrepc. com/trade, manufacturers’ directo- ry) or from established U.S. dental product distributors. DT (Source: Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council) Barrier properties critical in selecting medical gloves Malaysia is a preferred source of high-protection, top-quality examination gloves. (Photo/ Provided by MREPC) ‘Selecting the right gloves should be an educated consideration to enhance safety of both patients and users.’