| A | B |
|---|
| Antimicrobial agent | any agent that kills or supresses the growth of microorganisms |
| Antiseptic | mouthrinses are rinses containing antimicrobial substances that decrease the number of intraoral bacteria |
| Asepsis | free from contamination with microorganisms includes sterile conditions in tissues and on materials, as obtained by exclusion, removing, or killing organisms |
| Biofilm | the surface film that contains microorganisms and other biological substances |
| Biohazard | a substance that poses a biological risk because it is contaminated with biomaterial that has a potential for transmitting infection |
| Biological monitor | a preparation of nonpathogenic microorganisms, usually spores, carried by an ampule or a specifically impregnated paper enclosed within a package during sterilization and subsequently incubated to verify that the sterilizer is functioning properly |
| Chain of asepsis | a procedure that avoids the transfer of infection. The "chain" implies that each step, related to the previous one, continues to be carried out without contamination |
| Chemical indicator | a color change stripe or other mark, often on autoclave tape or bag, used to monitor the process of sterilization; color change indicates that the package has been brought to a specific temperature, but color change is not an indicator of sterilization |
| Contamination | introduction of microorganisms, blood, or other potentially infectious material or agent onto a surface or tissue |
| Disinfectant | An agent, usually a chemical, but may be a physical agent, such as xrays or ultraviolet light, that destroys microorganisms but may not kill bacterial spores; refers to substances applied to inanimate objects |
| Inanimate object | a thing that is not alive; a rock, a chair, a book, a counter top |
| EPA | United States Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPA registered | number on a label indicates that the product has the acceptance of EPA |
| FDA | United States Food and Drug Administration regulates food, drugs, biological products, medical devices and radiological products |
| Infection control | the selection and use of procedures and products to prevent the spread of infectious disease |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment |
| Sanitation | the process by which the number of organisms on inanimate objects is reduced. It does not imply freedom from organisms and generally refers to a cleaning process |
| Shelf life | stability of an item after it has been prepared; length of tine a substance or preparation can be kept without changes occurring in its chemical structure or other properties |
| Sterilization | process by which all forms of life, including bacterial spores, are destroyed by physical or chemical means |
