Keystone Optimize Thick Hand Sanitizer, 70% Ethyl Alcohol · 1 Gallon with Pump

A plain soap cleans without an antimicrobial ingredient; an antibacterial soap, also called antimicrobial or antiseptic, carries active ingredients that plain soaps do not. A Drug Facts label on a hand wash is a sign that it contains antibacterial ingredients. Alcohol hand rubs are rapidly germicidal on the skin, and antiseptics such as chlorhexidine or quaternary ammonium compounds are included in them to achieve persistent activity. Lotions are used to ease the dryness that comes from frequent handwashing and to prevent dermatitis from glove use.

Hand hygiene covers handwashing, hand antisepsis and surgical hand antisepsis, and the CDC dental guidelines call it the single most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms to patients and staff. CDC asks dental staff to perform it when hands are visibly soiled, before and after treating each patient, and before putting on gloves and again immediately after removing them. Skin carries two kinds of flora: transient organisms in the superficial layers, which routine handwashing removes more easily, and resident organisms attached to deeper layers, which are more resistant to removal.

For routine examinations and nonsurgical procedures CDC names three options: water and plain soap, antimicrobial soap specific for health care settings, or an alcohol-based hand rub. Soap and water is the one to use when hands are visibly soiled. Before surgical procedures an antimicrobial soap or an alcohol hand rub with persistent activity is used, because skin bacteria can multiply rapidly under surgical gloves.

Sources: CDC: Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003 (MMWR RR-17) · CDC: Standard Precautions (Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings) · FDA: Skip the Antibacterial Soap; Use Plain Soap and Water