As a dentist, it’s important to take care of your equipment so that you can take care of your patients.
Preventative maintenance is a must when it comes to dental suction pumps. It’s vital that you take care of your equipment properly. By keeping your equipment sterilized, you protect your patients—and yourself—from infection.
You should perform preventative suction pump maintenance daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. With regular maintenance, you can reduce instances of equipment failure and unwanted downtime. More importantly, however, you can ensure that you maintain a safe office.
To learn dental suction tips for preventative maintenance and why it matters, keep reading.
Keeping Dental Suction Pumps Ready for Action
There are only seven dentists for every 10,000 patients in the United States. Accordingly, it’s important to make sure that you operate as efficiently as possible.
However, suction pump maintenance, along with your other professional responsibilities, can prove overwhelming. By establishing an equipment maintenance schedule, however, you can simplify things.
In fact, you should develop a maintenance plan for all your dental equipment. Here, however, we’ll focus on your dental suction machine.
Without preventative maintenance, your equipment is prone to malfunctions. What’s more, it will most likely break down at the most inconvenient time possible.
For example, imagine your dental suction system breaking down in the middle of a procedure. You’ll find it difficult to explain why your equipment isn’t in tip-top shape. With regular maintenance, however, you can avoid this embarrassing—and potentially libelous—scenario.
Sterilization is essential for ensuring that your dental suction unit remains safe. Accordingly, you should have well-documented records of the tasks associated with ongoing sterilization.
Patients come and go all day long. For this reason, it’s important to post-maintenance assignments visibly. This way, equipment maintenance will stay at the forefront of staff members’ minds.
It’s also important to revise your maintenance policies as needed. In time, you’ll find that ongoing equipment maintenance will become second nature.
Establishing a Cleaning Routine
Again, it’s important to perform daily, weekly, monthly and annual cleanings. This process begins with the equipment maintenance that you should perform every day.
Daily Cleaning Tasks
You should perform suction pump maintenance every morning before you open your office. To begin with, flush the water lines.
You can use a preferred treatment solution for this part of maintenance. You need to flush the line for a minimum of two minutes.
You also want to top off the water supply of your sterilizers or self-contained water system. Furthermore, you’ll need to empty the wastewater bottle from the tabletop sterilizer if you use this piece of equipment.
Now, you can fill your ultrasonic cleaner with a new solution. You should also check the cleaner or the lubricant level on the handpiece.
There are also a few tasks you should perform during the day between every patient. For example, you should flush the water delivery line for a minimum of 30 seconds.
You should also sterilize and lubricate the handpieces and instruments. Furthermore, you should disinfect all surfaces with a disinfectant.
At the end of the day, you’ll need to flush your lines with a vacuum pump cleaning solution completely. You’ll also want to remove any empty water bottles. You can instruct personnel to leave the water bottles upside down overnight to dry.
You also want to drain any ultrasonic cleaner and ensure that the drain is not blocked. Finally, you’ll want to disinfect and clean all dental suction system surfaces.
Weekly Cleaning Tasks
Once a week, you’ll need to perform a more detailed cleaning. You’ll start weekly cleaning by running a sterilizer cycle. Afterward, you should test your suction pump for spores.
Now, remove your racks and trays from the chamber sterilizer. You can then wipe the interior with a cloth or a scrub pad. Next, check the suction pump gasket and replace it if it’s worn.
If you use a recycling model sump pump, replace the water in the chamber sterilizer. For some models, you may need to clean the cassette with a scrub pad. You may also need to lubricate the sump pump seal.
Next, you can move on to inspecting the O-rings of the handpiece cleaner adapter. You’ll also need to replace the oil collection pad. Finally, you should clean the interior of the ultrasonic cleaner tank.
Monthly Cleaning Tasks
Fortunately, there are only a handful of tasks that you’ll need to do each month. Firstly, give the sterilizer chamber a thorough cleaning with the recommended cleaning solution. Next, inspect and clean the sterilizer seal.
You’ll need to replace it if necessary. Finally, clean the entire surface of your sump pump with a mild cleaner to remove any disinfectant residue.
Prepping for Extended Downtime
These are unprecedented times. Accordingly, you might find that your office is closed for extended periods.
With the unpredictable path of the coronavirus, you may find that you need to close your dental office for days—or even months. However, the following maintenance recommendations also apply to any extended leave from the office.
Manufacturers do not design dental equipment to remain out of duty for an extended period. If you need to close your office for more than four days, it’s a good idea to follow these procedures. By preparing your equipment for extended leave, you can ensure that you’re ready for a heavy influx of patients once social distancing requirements relax.
If your chair spittoon connects to your vacuum system, turn on the suction system. Next, pour about a liter of diluted suction pump disinfection solution down the drain. Follow the disinfection solution with two liters of clean water.
You can now switch off the suction pump. Then, clean away any encrusted lime or built-up cleaning agents with a solution such as Durr M 555.
Never leave your suction filters in bleach or other cleaning solutions. This practice will degrade the plastic. It will also reduce the filtration capability of your suction pump.
If you find that you need to leave your office for an extended period, you’ll need to visit your office once a week. During these visits, you should flush your suction pump to ensure that you don’t end up with clogged dental suction lines.
Maintaining the Tools of Your Trade
You might have one of several kinds of dental suction pumps. Dental professionals use a wide range of vacuum pumps for various uses.
For example, some professionals prefer to use the compact Jun-Air V2000 to build pressure as needed. However, others may prefer a larger, more stationary dental suction machine to manage high-volume, such as the Jun-Air Quiet & Clean Air Oil-Less Rocking Piston air compressor.
Either way, it’s important to keep your suction pump maintained. A well-maintained suction pump will ensure the efficiency of your practice and the safety of your patients.
Team up With an Expert for Your Dental Equipment Needs
Now you know more about maintenance for dental suction pumps. Hopefully, you can keep your dental suction unit running smoothly for years.
In time, however, all equipment comes to the end of its lifecycle. If you need a new dental suction pump or other professional equipment, you’ll need a reliable supplier.
RG Group can provide you with a range of industrial vacuum pumps. We can help you understand the various options available on the market.
With RG Group, you can expect nothing less than premium equipment and stellar customer service. By consulting with our experts, you can find the perfect equipment for your practice.
Contact an RG Group representative today at (800) 340-0854 or connect with us online to discuss your equipment needs. We’re waiting and ready to provide our trusted expertise to help you find the perfect solutions for your office.
