Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | November 2013A18 Ad INduStry NEWS While caring for their patients, dental and health care professionals are con- stantly exposed to bodily fluids that may carry viruses and other infectious agents. It is therefore critical that the gloves these professionals use provide the best possible barrier protection. Many types of gloves are available today, but it is important to know that not all gloves have the same barrier capability, depending on the type of material used. For example, natural rubber latex gloves have long been ac- knowledged for their very effective bar- rier properties, while non-latex gloves, such as vinyl (polyvinyl chloride), have inferior barrier capability as shown by numerous studies. Other synthetic gloves, such as ni- trile and polyisoprene, perform much better than vinyl but are more costly, especially polyisoprene gloves. Using gloves with inferior barrier capability could expose both the patient and user to harmful infections. Quality, safety top priorities Malaysia is the world’s largest medical gloves exporter (latex and nitrile). Both quality and users’ safety are of top pri- ority to the nation’s glove industry. To this end, a quality certification pro- gram (the Standard Malaysian Gloves, or the SMG) has currently been formu- lated for latex examination gloves. All SMG-certified gloves must com- ply with stringent technical specifica- tions to ensure the gloves are high in barrier effectiveness, low in protein and low in allergy risks, in addition to having excellent comfort, fit and dura- bility — qualities that manufacturers of many synthetic gloves are trying to replicate. Natural, sustainable resource Latex gloves are green products, de- rived from a natural and sustainable resource, and are environmentally friendly. (You can learn more online at www.smg-gloves.com and at www.latex- glove.info). The use of low-protein, powder-free gloves has been demonstrated by many independent hospital studies to vastly reduce the incidence of latex sensiti- zation and allergic reactions in work- places. More importantly, latex allergic indi- viduals donning non-latex gloves can now work alongside their co-workers wearing the improved low-protein gloves without any heightened allergy concern. However, for latex-allergic individu- als, it is still important they use appro- priate non-latex gloves, such as quality nitrile and polyisoprene gloves, that provide them with effective barrier protection. Extensive array of brands, features and prices 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 ex- cellence, and they are widely available in an extensive array of brands, fea- tures and prices. They can be sourced either factory direct (www.mrepc.com/trade and click “medical devices”) or from established dental product distributors in the Unit- ed States. (Source: Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council) Barrier protection is critical in dental professionals’ gloves Gloves should enhance safety of both patients and users