comparison of permeability of an iranian latex glove with two types of imported gloves after one time usage

introduction: gloves protect the dental healthcare worker from direct contact with microorganisms in the patient's mouth and on dental setting surfaces; they also protect the patient from potential pathogens on the hands of the clinicians. this study was performed to evaluate the permeability of three types of examination latex gloves after treatment of patients in pediatric department of mashhad school of dentistry. materials & methods: a total of 60 pairs of three types of gloves (supa, medic-dent and super max) and five gloves of each type as control were randomly selected. the effective barrier properties were investigated following one hour treatment including fluoride therapy, amalgam and tooth colored restoration and pulp therapy. the effect of sex and the difference between working and non working hands were assigned too. the permeability of the case and control groups was determined by an electrical test. the voltage of each glove was registered at a current of 0.6 ma, using salt electrolyte solution. the data were analyzed using spss statistical software (t-test and anova). results: comparison of mean voltage of used glove with control in each type showed no significant difference except in super max (p=0). unlike supa and medic-dent gloves, greater permeability was detected in super max glove after treatment. the mean voltage of working and non working hand between gloves was not significant (p=0.19). conclusion: according to this study there was not any difference in permeability of iranian glove (supa) before and after use.