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We recommend shocking quarterly to help eradicate bacteria and biofilm that may have settled in your waterlines. At a minimum, we recommend following the dental unit manufacturer’s instructions for use.While we have heard that some product representatives say shocking isn’t necessary with certain centralized systems or treatment products, has shown that this is almost never the case. All lines need to be shocked regularly, regardless of the water source or continuous treatment solution used.You should shock dental unit waterlines in any of the following situations:
- Before first beginning a treatment protocol or before changing treatment products
- Immediately after a failed test (microbial counts > 500 CFU/mL)
- During routine removal of biofilm and bacteria
- When used to replace a continuous treatment solution (this often requires weekly shocking)
We see offices get great testing results when shocking with diluted bleach. Visit our How to Shock guide for a step-by-step tutorial on how to shock with diluted bleach!
Kellie Thimmes
Director of Education, ProEdge Dental Compliance Labs
Kellie leads education at ProEdge Dental Compliance Labs, the largest dental water testing lab in the U.S., and teaches dental teams how to shock, treat and test dental unit waterlines and monitor sterilization.
