Final answer:
After working in a patient's mouth, anything touched is considered contaminated, due to the presence of microorganisms in the oral cavity. Antiseptics are used for preventing infection in living tissues, and critical medical items must be sterilized to prevent infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anything one touches after working in the patient's mouth is considered to be contaminated. This is because the oral cavity is teeming with various microorganisms, and any contact with it can potentially transfer these microbes to surfaces or instruments.
For question 2, which is suitable for use on tissues for microbial control to prevent infection, the correct answer is antiseptic. Antiseptics are specifically designed to be safe for use on living tissues to reduce the risk of infection.
For the fill-in-the-blank stating a medical item that comes into contact with intact skin and does not penetrate sterile tissues or come into contact with mucous membranes is called a(n) noncritical item.
Regarding the review question on the type of medical items that requires sterilization, critical items such as surgical instruments and implants that come into contact with sterile body spaces or the vascular system must be sterile to prevent infections.
Medical procedures with a risk for contamination should be carried out in a sterile field maintained by proper aseptic technique to prevent sepsis.