What should be done after gloves are torn or punctured during procedures?

After gloves are torn or punctured during procedures, the correct protocol is to promptly remove them and wash hands before putting on a new pair of gloves. This is crucial because torn or punctured gloves compromise the barrier they provide against contaminants, increasing the risk of infection for both the dental practitioner and the patient.

By removing the damaged gloves and performing hand hygiene, you eliminate any potential pathogens that may have transferred onto the hands from the torn material. This ensures that when new gloves are applied, they are put on clean hands, maintaining an effective barrier to prevent the transmission of infectious agents.

Continuing to work with torn gloves unavoidably exposes both the practitioner and the patient to greater risk. Similarly, putting on another pair of gloves over torn ones does not solve the problem and may give a false sense of security. Ignoring the situation until bleeding occurs is also not advisable, as risks are present even without visible blood. Ensuring rigorous adherence to glove integrity standards is vital in infection control practices within dental settings.