Effect of Oral Spray on Dental Plaque Bacteria and Oral Epithelial Cells / 치위생과학회지

BACKGROUND: Good oral health is important for systemic body health and quality of life. Spray oral cleansers are increasingly preferred because of their convenience of carrying and the ease of oral hygiene management. In addition, many kinds of oral cleanser products containing various ingredients with antibacterial, washing, and moisturizing effects are being manufactured. However, concerns about the safety and side effects of oral sprays are increasing, and there is very little information regarding the use and care of oral sprays is available to consumers. This study aimed to investigate the effects of oral spray on oral bacteria and tissue to elucidate the factors that need to be considered when using oral sprays. METHODS: The effects of oral spray on the growth of dental plaque bacteria was assessed using disk diffusion assays. Cytotoxicity and morphological changes in oral epithelial cells were observed by microscopy. The effects of oral spray on dental plaque growth were also confirmed on specimens from permanent incisors of bovines by Coomassie staining. RESULTS: The pH of spray products, such as Perioe Dental Cooling, Cool Sense, and Dentrix, were 3.65, 3.61, and 6.15, respectively. All tested spray products showed strong toxicity to dental plaque bacteria and oral epithelial cells. Compared with those on the control, dental plaque bacteria deposits on the enamel surface increased following the use of oral spray. CONCLUSION: Three types of oral spray, namely Perioe Dental Cooling, Cool Sense, and Dentrix, strongly inhibited the growth of dental plaque bacteria and oral epithelial cells. The oral spray ingredient enhanced dental plaque growth on the enamel surface. Users should be informed of precautions when using oral sprays and the need for oral hygiene after its use.

The Cytotoxic Effect of Oral Wet Wipes on Gingival Cells / 치위생과학회지

Wet wipes are being increasingly used because of their convenience. Particularly, oral wet wipes are useful for regular cleaning of a baby's mouth after birth. Therefore, the consumption of oral wet wipes has increased over the past few years and a variety of products are commercially available. However, product information on safety is not sufficiently provided and still raises doubts regarding adverse effects. To confirm the safety of wet wipes as an oral hygiene item and provide information for their use, we investigated the cytotoxicity of oral wet wipes and verified the underlying mechanism. The anti-bacterial effect of oral wet wipes was analyzed using the disk diffusion method. The cytotoxic effects of oral wet wipes were observed based on morphological changes using microscopy and determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in gingival epithelial cells and gingival fibroblasts. Evaluation of apoptosis by oral wet wipes was explored using propidium iodide flow cytometric analysis and a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Apoptosis-related molecules were also analyzed using western blotting. Five types of oral wet wipes were tested, and two products from Fisher-Price and Dr. Kennedy revealed strong cytotoxic effects on gingiva epithelial cells and gingiva fibroblasts, although they also showed intense anti-bacterial effects on oral bacteria. Cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and apoptosis were observed based on treatment of extracts from Fisher-Price and Dr. KENNEDY. Relatively high TUNEL levels, reduction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 expression, and fragmentation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were also elucidated. These results suggest that commercial oral wet wipes could exert cytotoxic influences on oral tissue, although there are anti-bacterial effects, and careful attention is required, especially for infants and toddlers.