Dental patient bibs are used to protect the patient from getting wet during the procedure. These products act as a barrier between moisture and the patient’s clothes. We will discuss the composition of bibs and what you should look for when purchasing.
Composition of a Dental Bib
Layers
Typically 3 layers make up a patient bib. The first 2 layers are ply paper which helps absorb the moisture. The last layer is a poly film which helps prevent the penetration of the moisture.
Patterns
Patterns of the bib are important because they guide the moisture in a direction until fully absorbed. If the pattern is horizontal, a water droplet will flow horizontally until fully absorbed.
What Makes a Good Patient Bib?
Ultimately it’s about the safety of your patient and your practice. Here are the guidelines for deciding.
What is the material of the patient bib? If recycled, the paper is much less absorbent and the barrier layer is only 60% poly. This leads to faster penetration of the bib and more spread of the moisture.
How closely are the layers integrated? A good test would be to see if you can easily separate out the layers. If easily separable, it means that each layer is fighting on its own instead of cohesively together.
How soft is the paper? Dentists like to use the patient bib to wipe patients’ mouths, the softer the paper the more comfortable the experience.
How effective is the embossing of the bib? If the bib is manufactured well, the embossing clearly shows the directional flow of the droplets or the tiny traps for capturing the droplets.
