INTRAORAL  FILM  PACKETS Intraoral film packets become contaminated when they are placed in a patient's mouth during exposure. We  will  explain  procedures  on  how  to  handle  and process  contaminated  intraoral  film  packets  from  the X-ray  room  to  the  dark  room  to  avoid  cross contamination.  Procedures  using  an  automatic  film processor   with   and   without   a   daylight   loader   are explained next. Automatic Film Processors Without a Daylight Loader Procedures for using an automatic film processor without a daylight loader are as follows: 1. Wearing disposable gloves, expose an intraoral radiograph. 2.  Place  intraoral  film  packets  removed  from  the patient's  mouth  directly  into  a  clean  paper  cup previously  set  aside  for  this  purpose.  Do  not contaminate the cup with soiled gloves. 3. Transfer cup to dark room. 4.  While  wearing  the  gloves  used  to  take  the radiograph, open the film packets and drop the film onto a clean paper towel without touching the film. 5.  Discard  film  wrappers  directly  into  a  lined refuse  container  to  prevent  contamination  of  the darkroom work surfaces. 6. Place lead foil backing in a designated storage container. 7.  Remove  gloves  and  feed  the  uncontaminated film into the developer without special precautions. 8.  Disinfect  all  areas  and  set  up  for  your  next patient. Automatic Film Processors With a Daylight Loader When  using  an  automatic  film  processor  with  a daylight   loader,   contamination   of   the   fabric   light shield is likely to be a problem. Since there is no way to disinfect  this  shield,  disposable  plastic  film  packet covers  should  be  used  to  eliminate  contamination  of the fabric light shield by oral fluids and glove residue. Daylight loaders should be used only when a darkroom is not available. Disposable Plastic Film Packets The  following  is  a  recommended  technique  for processing  X-ray  film  with  disposable  film  packet covers when using a daylight loader: 1. Wearing disposable gloves, expose an intraoral radiograph film with a disposable plastic film packet cover on it. 2.   Still  wearing  the  contaminated  gloves,  open  the disposable plastic film packet containing the exposed X-ray film and using a sterile drop method, release the X-ray film into a clean paper cup previously set aside for  this  purpose. 3.   Dispose of contaminated plastic film cover and gloves  in  a  lined  refuse  container.  Wash  hands  to remove powder from gloves and dry. 4. Open daylight loader and place the clean paper cup containing the exposed X-ray film inside. Close lid. 5.   Place  clean  ungloved  hands  through  fabric  light shield and open film packet. Process X-ray film. 6.  Open  daylight  loader  and  separate  lead  foil backing   from   film   wrappers.   Place   lead   foil   in   a designated  storage  container. 7.   Discard film wrappers and paper cup into a lined refuse  container. Alternate Method When Not Using Disposable Film Covers Some X-ray departments may not have disposable plastic   film   covers   for   use   with   automatic   film processors with a daylight loader. The following is an alternate  method  to  prevent  the  fabric  light  shield  from being contaminated: 1.  Place  the  exposed  film  in  a  clean  paper  cup previously  set  aside  for  this  purpose. 2.   Remove soiled gloves and put on a pair of clean gloves. 3.   Place the cup through the top of the processing box and close the lid. 4.  Place  clean  gloved  hands  through  the  fabric light shield as shown in figure 1-42, unwrap the film packet, and drop the film onto the surface inside the loader. 5. Place the film wrapping into the cup. Remove the gloves, turn them inside out, and place them in the paper  cup. 1-27