title: Microorganisms on toothbrushes at day-care centers.
abstract: The microflora on 44 toothbrushes at 4 day-care centers in the city of Göteborg have been investigated as a presumptive risk factor for transmission of microorganisms by children. Non-supervised toothbrushing without the use of toothpaste was performed at the day-care centers twice a day. Streptococci, predominantly S. salivarius, S. sanguis, and S. mitis, were the most frequently recorded group of microorganisms and generally constituted the greatest part of the flora (on average, 50%). Beta-hemolytic streptococci were not found in any sample. Haemophilus species were noted in 82% of the samples. H. parainfluenzae being the most frequent, and H. influenzae being identified in only one sample. Anaerobes constituted on average a third of the microflora. Staphylococci were identified in 86% of the samples, S. epidermidis dominating. Fungi including molds were found in 50% of the samples, and from one day-care center large numbers of enteric organisms were identified. Thus this study shows that unsupervised toothbrushing at day-care centers can be questioned, more from a general hygienic point of view than from the risk of transmitting serious pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Odontology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malmberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Birkhed
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norvenius
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Norén
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dahlén
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013548:Sweden; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*