Surgical mask

The mouth guard is an aid in the medicine to prevent transmission of pathogens by secretion droplets with breathing. In clean rooms, a mouth guard is partially also used to prevent transmission of secretion droplets on surfaces to be kept clean and quarantine patients in the hospital ( MRSA).

Overview

The name should correctly mouth and nose protection hot, because usually the mouth and nose are covered by the mask.

It also tries to reduce the dust load of the lung in a very dusty work with a mouth guard. The effectiveness, however, is considerably worse than that of special breathing masks or breathing protection masks of the classes FFP1 to FFP3 (english filtering face piece, particle-filtering half mask '). Therefore, they may not be used for such work.

Most of the mouthguard is fixed around the ears or tied with two attachment loops at the back.

Although the mouthguard can reduce the spread of germs clear, but he is not a perfect measure of hygiene, since it does not completely filtered breath stream. Air can also on the sides enter and exit. Free floating in the air germs can be fully captured due to the large diameter of the filter pores also not.

Although the effectiveness of the mouthguard is hardly questioned as a hygiene measure is data availability with randomized comparative studies which have demonstrated this statistically doubt, rather poor.

Also to individuals the mouthguard in the relevant trade ( pharmacies, etc. ) is sold, especially for allergy sufferers. But since he does not adequately protect against fine particles, it is not suitable for construction and renovation work, for use in severe air pollution or for civil defense purposes ( such as fires or accidents involving hazardous materials ). For such purposes, fine dust masks (protection class FFP 3 ) and smoke hoods are required.

Respiratory protective filters are equipped with an expiration date, after which they should no longer be used.