What are the recommendations for using extracted teeth in educational settings?
Extracted teeth are occasionally collected and used for preclinical educational training. The teeth should be cleansed of visible blood and gross debris and maintained in a hydrated state. Because the teeth will be autoclaved before clinical teaching exercises, using an economical storage solution (e.g., water or saline) may be practical. A liquid chemical germicide (e.g., sodium hypochlorite [household bleach] diluted 1:10 with tap water) could reduce bacterial accumulation during storage, although it does not completely disinfect/sterilize the tooth. Extracted teeth must be placed in a well-constructed container with a secure lid to prevent leaking during transport and labeled with the biohazard symbol. Prior to being used in an educational setting, teeth should be heat sterilized to allow for safe handling. Pantera and Shuster demonstrated elimination of microbial growth using an autoclave cycle for 40 minutes. However, since preclinical educational exercises simulate clinical exper
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