Why Dental Practices Should Use Medical Fridges

Written By Wendy Dessler / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Medical-grade cold units are an essential in healthcare facilities. They play a crucial role in the cold chain of temperature-sensitive materials. These include DNA samples, blood transfusions, vaccines, and other pharmaceutical drugs.  

A medical freezer or refrigerator protects these materials as soon as they’re manufactured or taken from the patient. They also maintain the integrity of such samples or pharmaceuticals during transportation and distribution, and eventually, to on-site safe-keeping.

With the worldwide pandemic reaching unprecedented heights, healthcare professionals have already identified the need for purpose-built cold storage units. The promise of new, life-saving coronavirus vaccines is likely the cause of such anticipation. 

You’ll find many blog articles with more information on the subject. However, here, we’ll take a closer look at why dental practices, in particular, should use medical refrigerators.

The Paradigm Shift of Oral Healthcare

Oral care is considered an essential part of general health. Industry experts are now realizing the advantages of marrying these two vital aspects. 

The World Health Organization has been advocating for the integration of dental services into primary healthcare for more than a decade. With the following factors in mind, a collaborative approach is more rational than a disease-specific one.

• With the aging U.S. population, dentists will care for an increased number of patients likely to have chronic conditions. These illnesses will be managed by medications that’ll also affect the administration of oral healthcare. 

• Oral infections, such as periodontal disease, have been identified as risk factors and linked to other conditions. These include diabetes, cerebrovascular, respiratory, and cardiovascular disease, and even adverse obstetric outcomes.

• Similarly, numerous medical conditions have significant effects on oral health. For instance, oral manifestations are prominent in patients with HIV, while periodontal disease is more prevalent in patients who have diabetes.  

• Overall oral health is determined by stress, trauma, lifestyle choices such as smoking and alcohol consumption, and hygiene. These causes are common to various chronic diseases.

While this ongoing paradigm shift affects various areas of the industry, dental professionals will need to adapt their practices. Medical-grade refrigerators will become essential to store different pharmaceutical drugs that accommodate certain primary health concerns.

However, forward-thinking dentists can already benefit from anticipating these inevitable changes. Having a pharmaceutical-grade refrigerator on-site will equip them with an edge over competitors, too.

Dentists Require Suitable Cold Storage Facilities

Besides the above, purpose-built cold storage units come with practical advantages for dental professionals here and now. Here’s why:

Oral Medical Emergencies

Dentists are often required to perform urgent procedures. As such, they need specialist equipment and drugs. The American Dental Association defines a medical emergency in the dental office as an unexpected event that can include:

• Willful or accidental bodily injury
• Central nervous system depression or stimulation
• Allergic reactions

Circulatory or respiratory disturbances

Such emergencies require adequate preparation and the immediate availability of basic and critical pharmaceutical drugs. However, some of these medications may be temperature-sensitive. Incorrect storage and climate controls could jeopardize their effectiveness and even render them unusable.

This issue not only causes loss of supplies but financial consequences, too. More importantly, the unavailability of certain drugs during a medical crisis can put a patient’s life at risk and have devastating repercussions for the dental practice.

Dental Products

According to the FDA, many dental restorative and impression materials need to be stored at controlled room temperatures, or they could be unacceptable for use. Additionally, biologic-based components (like bone-filling materials) must be refrigerated or discarded.  

Medical-Grade Cold Storage Units to the Rescue

With medical-grade refrigerators, dentists can rest assured that any temperature-sensitive materials are safely stored and ready for use when the time comes. Such cold units have a range of unique, purpose-built features that:

• Set and regulate temperatures within precise ranges
• Accurately record historic data
• Monitor temperatures and notify staff of any anomalies
• Promote airflow and negate temperature variances
• Preclude unauthorized access
• Recover temperatures during power failures or other events
• Insulate supplies and minimize ambient temperature interference

In Summary

As oral healthcare experiences a paradigm shift, medical refrigerators and freezers will become a necessity. However, dental practices should still use purpose-built units to ensure adequate, safe, and effective storage of dental products, pharmaceuticals, and emergency drugs.

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral care, skincare, body care and foot care. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Wendy Dessler is a super-connector who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.

Reviewed By:    

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels