A new study published in Anesthesia Progress evaluated how effectively common dental suction devices reduce oxygen buildup in the mouth during procedures using supplemental oxygen. Excess oxygen can increase the risk of surgical fire when an ignition source is present. Using a laboratory model of a pediatric oral cavity, researchers compared high-volume evacuation (HVE), Yankauer suction (YS), and a saliva ejector (SE) during oxygen delivery at 5 L/min. HVE and YS reduced oxygen concentrations below 30% within 45 seconds and brought levels close to normal atmospheric concentrations, while the saliva ejector was unable to reduce oxygen below 30%. Without suction, oxygen levels exceeded 30% within about 20 to 25 seconds and rose to nearly 90%. The findings support the use of intraoral suctioning before dental procedures involving supplemental oxygen, with HVE and YS proving more effective than a saliva ejector at reducing oxygen pooling. The authors note that additional clinical research is needed to confirm the findings across different patient ages and treatment settings.
GLEN ALLEN, Va., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Anesthesia Progress – In pediatric dentistry, supplemental oxygen is commonly used during dental procedures involving deep sedation or general anesthesia. However, when too much oxygen builds in the oral cavity, it can create an environment that increases combustion/fire risk if an ignition source is present. Maintaining oxygen concentrations at safe levels is vital during dental procedures involving supplemental oxygen.
To evaluate strategies for reducing oxygen accumulation during dental procedures, researchers from the Indiana University School of Dentistry and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently published a study in the current issue of Anesthesia Progress. Lead author Elizabeth Asdell, DDS, MSD, and colleagues state, "This study aims to compare the adequacy of the high volume evacuation (HVE), Yankauer (YS), and saliva ejector (SE) suctions on their ability to decrease oxygen concentrations as well as evaluate the time needed to reach unsafe levels at 5 L/min of oxygen supplementation cavity."
The laboratory study used a 400-mL acrylic dome to simulate a 10-year-old child's oral cavity. Supplemental oxygen was delivered through a nasal cannula at 5 L/min. Researchers compared the three suction devices, HVE, YS, and an SE, as well as a control condition using no suction. They then recorded oxygen concentrations every 10 seconds during alternating periods of oxygen supplementation and suctioning.
Researchers found that HVE and YS reduced oxygen concentrations significantly faster than the SE, dropping below 30% within 45 seconds and near atmospheric levels, while the SE did not fall below 30%. Without suction, oxygen concentrations exceeded 30% within approximately 20 to 25 seconds. They reached levels near 90%, reinforcing the importance of managing oxygen buildup during dental procedures involving supplemental oxygen.
The findings show that when 5 L/min of supplemental oxygen is used with an open airway, HVE and YS outperform SE because they can reduce oxygen concentrations below 30%. Asdell and colleagues conclude, "This data supports use of intraoral suctioning prior to dental procedures to reduce oxygen pooling and that HVE and YS are more effective than SE in decreasing oxygen levels." They also note that additional research is needed to evaluate these suction devices under clinical conditions and among patients of different ages.
Full text of the article, "Further Considerations of Supplemental Oxygen Concentrations and Risk of Oral Surgical Fires Using an Intraoral Laboratory Based Model," Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 73, No. 3 2026, is now available.
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SOURCE Anesthesia Progress
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