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Pumice
Also called: lab pumice, polishing pumice
A gritty powder used wet on the lathe to polish appliances.
Pumice is a gritty volcanic powder mixed with water into a slurry for polishing dentures and appliances on the lab lathe. Because appliances carry mouth germs, CDC says lab items used on them, such as rag wheels, are heat-sterilized, disinfected or thrown away between patients; offices use a fresh portion of pumice for each case.
How to spot it
- A gray powder in a tub, and a pan of wet slurry under the lathe wheel.
What it is used for
- Use a fresh portion of pumice for each patient's appliance, per your office protocol.
Safety and care
- Wear a mask and eye protection at the lathe.
Related
Sources: CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17)