Question

Items associated with oral health care are categorized as

A. Critical items

B Semi-critical items

C. Noncritical items

D. All of the above

Answer 1

Items associated with oral health care are categorized into critical items, semicritical items, and noncritical items. Critical items require sterilization, semicritical items require a high level of disinfection, and noncritical items need to be clean but not highly disinfected.

Step-by-step explanation:

The items associated with oral health care are categorized into three types: critical items, semicritical items, and noncritical items.

Critical items are those that need to be sterilized because they will be used inside the body, penetrating sterile tissues or the bloodstream. Examples of critical items include surgical instruments, catheters, and intravenous fluids.

Semicritical items, such as gastrointestinal endoscopes and respiratory therapy equipment, may contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin but do not penetrate tissues. These items do not require sterilization but need a high level of disinfection.

Noncritical items are those that may contact but not penetrate intact skin, like bed linens, furniture, crutches, stethoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs. These items need to be clean but not highly disinfected.