Many dental treatments involve a clinician giving something new to a patient. Placing a composite filling revitalises the structure of a tooth, and a new denture or implant provides new life to a smile.
However, dental professionals often also need to remove tissue and restorative elements from the dentition; compromised teeth are wholly or partly excavated, failed restorations need to be replaced, and hard and soft tissue may be removed in more complex surgical cases.
In each scenario, these materials and tissues need to be disposed of safely. Dental professionals must follow current guidelines to maximise the safety of their clinical team, patients, and the wider environment throughout the entire waste workflow, this begins with properly segregating common elements of dental waste.
The many containers for teeth
Tooth extractions are carried out for a multitude of reasons. A patient may have unsalvageable caries, damage from periodontitis or trauma, or might need a tooth to be removed for orthodontic care. In each case, a clinician has the responsibility to ensure disposal of the extracted tooth is carried out appropriately.
Clinicians should look to Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01) from NHS England for guidance. The colour-coded waste workflow allows clinicians to simply identify the relevant waste stream for each item of the waste they produce.
One could assume that teeth would be designated to an anatomical waste container (red, rigid receptacles). However, HTM 07-01 notes that the disposal of teeth is “unlikely to cause offence.”[1] As such, dental practitioners can treat them as non-anatomical infectious waste; even here HTM 07-01 goes further to say that only broken or jagged non-amalgam teeth need to be placed in a yellow-lidded sharps receptacle.1 This minimises the risk of injury which could occur if a tooth punctured a clinical waste bag. However bare in mind when using a sharps container how long is the container remaining in use on site as this may cause odour issues as the tooth decays.
Whole non-infectious teeth can be treated as offensive waste, and placed into yellow and black (tiger stripe) containers.1 This is alongside other generic waste items such as used, non-infectious PPE or single-use instruments that may be contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids. But be mindful again of the risk of puncturing the offensive bag and causing containment non-compliances.
Teeth containing amalgam fillings are another story entirely. Amalgam, whilst recognised as a safe restorative solution for patients, is subject to greater control due to its mercury contents, which creates environmental concerns.[2] In its vapour form, it can be highly toxic.1 When extracting amalgam-restored teeth, clinicians must use a dental amalgam toothbox container, which will contain a mercury suppressant and be made from a puncture-resistant material.1 Toothbox containers are also suitable for non-amalgam filled teeth.
These are the most common instances of anatomical waste that a dentist will encounter. However, dental care does not stop at the teeth. In some circumstances, clinicians may need to manage the disposal of both soft and hard tissue, so further understanding of current waste guidelines is imperative.
Dividing tissue
The removal of soft or hard tissue is required to facilitate aesthetic and functional outcomes for some treatments. In the case of gingival enlargement, which is prevalent in 10% of orthodontic patients, the removal of soft tissue is required to restore a natural appearance and reduce plaque accumulation at the affected sites.[3] Alongside orthodontic care, gingival hyperplasia may also be the result of immunosuppressant and antiseizure drug use, inflammation, hereditary gingival fibromatosis, and more.[4]
When performing surgery, the excess gingival tissue must be stored appropriately in anatomical waste containers. It will need to be separated due to the qualities presented due to the patient’s condition or the treatment approach utilised, either as tissue that is non-hazardous, infectious but not chemically contaminated, chemically contaminated but not infectious, or both infectious and chemically contaminated.1 Different red anatomical waste bins are required for each category.
Similarly, osseous material must be designated as anatomical waste. All items placed in red containers are to be treated by an appropriately covered waste management specialist, who will ensure the tissue is rendered unrecognisable, which is currently achieved through incineration.1
Correct solutions
Establishing safe workflows in the dental practice requires each appropriate waste container to be in place. From specialist toothbox containers to anatomical waste containers, Initial Medical provides a leading range of easy to implement solutions.
With 120 years of history supporting healthcare in the UK, Initial Medical is renowned as a fantastic source of insight and support for waste management workflows. Dental professionals will find solutions like the colour-coded rigid waste containers that prevent spillages and unpleasant odours thanks to a hermetic seal, which are perfectly compliant with current regulations to aid correct waste segregation.
Whether dental professionals are extracting teeth or removing hard or soft tissue, confidence in the waste workflow is paramount. Having safe, compliant solutions at arm’s reach is vital to protect clinicians and patients alike.
To find out more, get in touch at 0808 304 7411 or visit the website today www.initial.co.uk/medical
About Initial Medical
Initial Medical set the standard in healthcare and infectious waste management in the UK, providing a reliable, effective and fully compliant service built around customer needs and delivered by our highly trained local teams. We are ISO 9001:2015 accredited, with technology fully integrated into our operations, providing full traceability of service delivery, electronic waste documentation and the best customer experience possible. We also offer innovative healthcare waste management services and infection control products, to help break the chain of transmission and prevent cross contamination.
Initial Medical are a company with a ‘World Class’ Health and Safety record, and ISO 45001:2018 accreditation. We are also accredited to ISO 14001:2015 environmental standards, and pride ourselves on our sustainable approach with a focus on delivering eco-friendly products and operational solutions.
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[1] NHS England, (2022). Health Technical Memorandum 07-01: Safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste. (Online) Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/B2159iii-health-technical-memorandum-07-01.pdf [Accessed May 2025]
[2] British Dental Association, (2024). Dental Amalgam. (Online) Available at: https://www.bda.org/media/yd2ae15l/final-dental-amalgam-bda-position-paper-february-2024.pdf [Accessed May 2025]
[3] Dalal, A. M., Oza, R. R., Shirbhate, U., & Gurav, T. (2024). Conventional gingivectomy procedure in the management of orthodontic-induced gingival overgrowth: a case report. Cureus, 16(7).
[4] Frank, C., Anthony, K., (2018). Gingival Hyperplasia, Healthline. (Online) Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/gingival-hyperplasia [Accessed May 2025]
