ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of vitro study was to assessment of the bacterial contamination on daily twice-used toothbrushes in different conditions after 1-month and 3 months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty children aged between 6 and 12 years were selected for this study. Toothbrushes and toothpaste were distributed among those children. Among those children, 20 children brushed their teeth for 1-month and 20 brushed their teeth for 3 months twice a day. Among those, 10 were kept in same brush box with a family member and 10 were kept in separate brush box after the use. Toothbrush from every child was recollected to investigate the contamination of microorganisms. Head of the toothbrushes transferred to a tube containing 10 ml of tryptone soy broth. This was followed by vortex mixing for 1 min to dislodge suspected adherent bacteria. The bacterial suspension was serially diluted to obtain dilution factors of up to 10(-3). 1 ml each of the dilution factors was obtained using a sterile pipette and plated on plate count agar. Petri dishes containing agar media were incubated and examined using a compound microscope. RESULTS: There was high mean difference between 1-month and 3 months, twice a day used toothbrush those kept with family members and those kept separate. CONCLUSIONS: Toothbrush should keep in a separate box. Moreover, toothbrush should to be change after 3-4 weeks.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Objective was to evaluate the relationship between physio-chemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, buffering capacity, pH, Streptococcus mutans in saliva and its relationship with dental caries. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty children were evaluated for physio-chemical properties of saliva, out which 40 were caries-active (group 1) and 40 caries-free (control group). Caries status of each child was scored by using DMFS and dfs indices to get a combined DMFS and dfs score. The physio-chemical properties were evaluated using Saliva Check (GC Asia Dental Pte Ltd- India) and streptococcus mutans using Dentocult SM Strip Mutans. RESULT: Flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity of saliva in caries-active children were decreased but not statistically significant. The Streptococcus mutant count of saliva was increased significantly in caries-active children. CONCLUSION: The physio-chemical properties of saliva like pH, buffering capacity, salivary flow rate, concentration of various components like proteins, calcium and antioxidant defense system play a major role in the development of caries. Hence, more clinical and laboratory studies are needed to determine the exact relationship between these physio-chemical properties of saliva and dental caries.
