With the rise in Covid-19, it has become inevitable to wear a medical face mask whenever you step out of the home.
Though, not all masks are able to protect you from this viral infection.
If you are a medical health professional, you should be aware of the masks that you can wear in a health setup such as a dental clinic.
This article discusses the different kinds of medical face mask that you can wear to ensure that you do not get the virus.
Keep reading below to know more!
Types of Medical Face Mask
Unsurprisingly, there are several face masks present in the market now.
You will find the ineffective cloth masks and also the filtering masks.
Other ones include:
- Sanitary masks
- Masks with a valve
- Respiratory protection mask
- Masks without a valve
And the list goes on.
However, there are three main types of masks.
These include the FFP mask, hygienic masks and surgical masks.
Each type further has several other kinds of masks.
In order to know about them, let’s know the characteristics of each of these types in detail.
FFP Masks
FFP Masks are precisely self-filtering masks.
They can filter out particles plus, microdroplets and aerosols on their own.
If there is an R mark on the mask, it means it is reusable.
Similarly, if there is an NR mark that indicates the mask is non-reusable.
When it comes to standards, these meet the EN 149 standard.
Further categories of this kind of mask go from FFP 1 to FFP 3 with or without a valve.
The FFP1 mask without an exhalation valve provides minimum protection from infection.
It has minimum filtration therefore it only limits the spreading of contagion to some degree but does not hinder the infectious organisms or provide any protection against them.
The FFP2 mask with an exhalation valve is slightly better.
It may not help in limiting the spread of contagion but it at least protects the person that wears it.
The FFP2 masks without an exhalation valve work both ways.
It will also protect the person from infection while playing a part in reducing the spread of contagion.
The FFP3 mask with an exhalation valve will protect the person but will not reduce the spread of contagion.
Likewise, FFP3 mask without an exhalation valve will limit the spread while also protecting against infection.
When it comes to efficiency, the FFP3 masks show 98 percent of minimum filtration efficiency.
They have only 2 percent of internal leakage. Therefore, this mask is the most efficient in this category.
Coming up next are the FFP2 masks.
They have 92 percent of minimum filtration with 8 percent of internal leakage.
Coming in last are the FFP1 masks.
They only show a success rate of 78 percent of minimum filtration while there is 22 percent of internal leakage.
Hence, they are the least effective out of all the masks available in this category.
Next up, there is the difference between surgical and hygiene masks.
Surgical Medical Face Mask
If you are in a clinical environment, this is the kind of mask you will most predominantly see for infection control.
They come in handy in operation theatres and dental clinics.
The reason behind that is that these masks provide protection from the inside and out.
Therefore, they prevent the emission of infectious agents from the nose and mouth.
There is no spread of viruses even if people cough, sneeze or talk.
So other people in the medical setup and sick people do not get exposed to the contagion.
Not only that, these masks also prove to be effective in situations such as a pandemic and an endemic.
With respect to keeping comfort and hygiene in focus, it is important to not wear the masks for more than 4 hours.
In fact, you should replace it immediately with a new one if the mask deteriorates or dampens.
It will no longer be effective.
Though, the lifetime of a single surgical mask depends on the manufacturer’s instructions.
Like every other mask, these also need to be worn tightly and properly to ensure that you reap the benefits of the protection it provides.
The mechanism allows it to firmly fit your mouth covering the nose, mouth and chin.
Only then you will be able to cover your mouth completely.
What Surgical Mask is the best?
In a medical setting, an ideal mask for healthcare workers as well as patients will be Type II R Disposable Masks.
These have a bacterial filtration efficiency greater than or equal to 98 percent.
Moreover, it does not restrict your breathing.
You should not wear it more than 4 hours.
Though, it has nose bridge fastening to ensure tighter grip on face.
Plus this surgical mask is a sanitary product, not PPE.
Hygiene Masks
Hygiene masks are not protective equipment as they function to limit the spread of contagion rather than protect the wearer.
These are disposable masks that limit the spread of viruses.
Only one person should wear it and then dispose of it after 4 hours of use in consideration of hygiene and comfort levels.
While it is a disposable mask, it is also reusable.
This differs for manufacturers but there are reusable masks alongside single-use ones.
The instructions will indicate how many times you can wash off the mask.
Once, that limit is reached, its effectiveness is not confirmed. It may become completely useless in protecting against infections.
If the mask deteriorates and becomes wet, you should replace it even if it is reusable.
Just like FFP Masks and Surgical masks, it contains straps that go around the ears in order to secure the mask in place.
It covers the nose, mouth and chin completely.
Plus, similar to a surgical mask its use should be only for 4 hours, however, the effectiveness of surgical and hygiene masks differs greatly.
What is the best hygiene mask to wear?
Choose masks that have 3 layers of TNT fabric which is a non-woven fabric.
Plus, look for how they are sewn, preferably using ultrasound.
The bacterial filtration efficiency should be at least greater than or equal to 95 percent.
Besides ultrasonic stitching and triple layers, it should provide a good level of comfort and be of high quality.
There should be elastic fastening with nose bridge adjustment.
The mask should fit completely over your nose and mouth.
What Should Children Wear?
Children usually wear the same stuff as adults.
In fact, mostly the only difference is the size of the mask.
For children, the size is naturally smaller as it should tightly fit on their faces to cover the nose and the mouth.
Alongside that, manufacturers make children’s masks in usually enticing colors and patterns.
This encourages children to wear the masks often while they may not want to otherwise.
However, this variety may not be present in masks for adults to wear.
The ideal mask for children to wear is the hygiene mask.
This prevents the spread of infection in a healthy population, so they are most recommended to the rest of the population as well.
However, if you need greater protection, your child can opt for a surgical mask, FFP2 mask or children’s disposable mask.
The FFP2 masks are a great option as they are available in different patterns and colors but also provide protection.
Its filtration rate should be greater than 95 percent.
It should have a cotton layer, a synthetic fiber inner layer that comes in contact with the face, an outer layer of synthetic polypropylene fiber and a synthetic fiber filter that has an electrostatic treatment.
It should have MP2.5 protection and they should only use it for 4 hours.
But what about the N95 masks you keep hearing about?
Let’s know about them in detail below!
KN95 and FFP2 Medical Face Mask
KN95 are mostly self-filtering.
They can protect against everything that is present outside your environment.
Whether it is pollen, bacteria, pollutants or virus.
The filtering capacity of these masks is up to 95 percent and the plus point is that they are also reusable.
It is not single-use and the durability of use is about 48 hours.
Thus, you can use this mask for several days.
When it comes to comparing it with FFP2 mask, that one is self-filtering disposable.
This becomes a protective barrier in limiting the spread of infection and also protecting the wearer.
The maximum duration of this mask is around 8 hours.
It makes for an ideal mask for healthcare workers that have to come in close contact with the patient’s mouth, thus making it a good choice for dentists.
People of all ages can use it.
It can filter about 92 percent of particles from the outside environment as well as retain the virus inside from an infected person.
Finally,
Knowing about these different types of medical face mask can help you assess what is the best choice for you.
If you are a medical professional specifically working in dental clinics, you may want to consider surgical masks, FFP2 masks or KN95 masks.
These can provide better protection in a setting where you are in close proximity to a patient’s mouth.
In the times of Covid-19 pandemic, it is best that all patients and health professionals remain safe.
