Microbial contamination in disposable caps and cloth caps in the periodontics department of the Dr. Rene Puig Bentz Dental Clinic at the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University

This dataset is from a comparative study that aimed to evaluate microbial contamination in
disposable and cloth surgical caps used in the periodontics department of the Dr. René Puig
Bentz Dental Clinic. The hypothesis was that there would be differences in bacterial load
between the two types of caps, with cloth caps being more susceptible to contamination due
to their reusability and exposure to an environment with high aerosol generation. A cross-
sectional study was conducted using a sample of 60 caps (30 disposable and 30 cloth), from
which 120 microbiological samples were obtained before and after use. Data were collected
using microbiological sampling techniques that allowed for quantification of the bacterial load
and identification of microorganisms. The results showed that cloth caps exhibited higher
microbial contamination before use and a greater increase after use compared to disposable
caps. Microorganisms characteristic of the dental environment, such as Staphylococcus
aureus, Bacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Pseudomonas spp., were identified. The
analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the two types of caps. These
results suggest that material type and use conditions influence bacterial load, highlighting the
need to strengthen biosafety protocols and control the use and replacement of caps. These
findings suggest that material type and usage conditions influence bacterial load,
underscoring the importance of strengthening biosafety protocols and controlling the use and
replacement of clinical caps to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.