A novel approach to controlling bacterial contamination on toothbrushes: chlorhexidine coating

• Published in: International journal of dental hygiene Vol. 7; no. 4; pp. 241 - 245
• Main Authors: Turner, LA, McCombs, GB, Hynes, WL, Tolle, SL
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2009; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiseptics; Bacteria; Biofilms - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; chlorhexidine; Chlorhexidine - administration & dosage; Colony Count, Microbial; Dental care; Dental Devices, Home Care - microbiology; Dental Disinfectants - administration & dosage; Dentistry; Disinfection & disinfectants; Disinfection - methods; Double-Blind Method; Equipment Contamination - prevention & control; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Oral hygiene; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Preventive Dentistry - instrumentation; Preventive Dentistry - methods; Reference Values; Surface Properties; Toiletry products; toothbrush; Toothbrushing - instrumentation; Treatment Outcome; Infection; Antiseptic; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; toothbrush; Chlorhexidine; Dentistry; Disinfecting agent; Coatings; Contamination
• ISSN: 1601-5029; 1601-5037
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2008.00352.x

:  Purpose:  This project was conducted to determine the effectiveness of chlorhexidine‐coated toothbrush filaments in reducing quantities of bacteria. Materials and methods:  An Institutional Review Board (IRB)‐approved, two‐group, double‐blind, randomized, post‐test only study was conducted. Sixty‐four individuals utilized control and experimental toothbrushes, for 30 days. At the end of the study toothbrushes were returned and transported to the laboratory for analysis. Microorganisms were detached from the filaments by sonification and vortexing then plated on Mitis Salivarius (MS) (selective) and trypticase soy agar (TSA) 5% Sheep Blood (non‐selective) media. Inoculated plates were incubated aerobically for 24 h at 37°C. After incubation, bacterial colony‐forming units (CFU) were determined. Data were analysed using Wilcoxon and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results:  Fifty‐nine toothbrushes were returned for analysis; experimental (n = 31) and control (n = 28). Data from TSA media revealed a mean CFU for the control group of 5.41 × 105 compared with 6.28 × 105 for the experimental group. Data from MS agar resulted in a mean CFU for the control group of 4.32 × 105 compared with 4.20 × 105 for the experimental group. Conclusion:  Results revealed no statistically significant difference in the quantity of bacteria surviving on toothbrush filaments between control and experimental groups, on both selective and non‐selective media, after 30 days.