Exposure to Biological Fluids in Dental Practice—Narrative Review on Appropriate Risk Assessment to Guide Post-Exposure Management

Abstract

Accidental exposure to blood or other biological fluids is a common occurrence in dentistry, and its post-exposure management is a key component of infection prevention and control programs designed to prevent the transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This narrative review aims to comprehensively review the risk assessment process for each of these pathogens at all steps of the epidemiological process, i.e., source–exposure route–receptive person, in order to provide a better understanding of the delicate differences that influence the transmission risk and that drive the individualized post-exposure management.

Keywords

• HBV
• HCV
• HIV
• prophylaxis
• post-exposure prophylaxis
• dentists