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a12 I N DUST RY N EWS Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | October 2017 Barrier protection critical with dental gloves Inferior capability could expose patient/user to harmful infections 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 to- day, but it is important to know that not all gloves have the same barrier capabil- ity, depending on the type of material used. For example, natural rubber latex gloves have long been acknowledged for their very effective barrier properties, while non-latex gloves, such as vinyl (polyvinyl chloride), have inferior bar- rier capability as shown by numerous studies. Quality, safety top priorities Other synthetic gloves, such as nitrile and polyisoprene, perform much bet- ter than vinyl but are more costly, espe- cially polyisoprene gloves. Using gloves with inferior capability could expose both the patient and user to harmful infections. AD Malaysia is the world’s largest medical gloves exporter (latex and nitrile). Both quality and users’ safety are of top priority to the nation’s glove industry. To this end, a quality certification program (the Standard Malaysian Glove, or the SMG) is formulated for latex examination gloves. All SMG-certified gloves must comply with stringent technical specifications to ensure the gloves are high in barrier effective- ness, low in protein and low in allergy risks, in addition to having excellent comfort, fit and durability — qualities that manufacturers of many synthetic gloves are trying to achieve. Photo/Provided by Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council 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 program (the Standard Malaysian Glove, or the SMG) has currently 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, low in protein and low in allergy risks, in addition to having excellent comfort, fit and durability — qualities that manufacturers of many synthetic gloves are trying to achieve. Natural, sustainable resource Latex gloves are green products, derived from a natural and sustainable resource, and are environmentally friendly. (You can learn more online by visiting www. smgonline.biz or www.latexgloves.info). important, latex-allergic The use of low-protein, powder-free gloves has been demonstrated by many independent hospital studies to mark- edly reduce the incidence of latex sen- sitization and allergic reactions in work- places. More in- dividuals donning non-latex gloves can now work alongside their cowork- ers wearing the improved low-protein gloves without any heightened allergy concern. However, for latex-allergic in- dividuals, it is still important they use appropriate non-latex gloves, such as quality nitrile and polyisoprene gloves, which provide them with effective bar- rier protection. Extensive array of brand, prices Selecting the right gloves should be an educated consideration to enhance safety for 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, features and prices. They can be sourced either factory direct (www.mrepc.com/marketplace) or from established dental products distributors in the United States and Canada. (Source: Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council)