title: Microbial contamination of toothbrushes with different principles of filament anchoring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The retention and growth of cariogenic microorganisms on toothbrushes pose a threat of recontamination. The authors to studied three species of oral microorganisms found at different places on toothbrush filaments.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors tested on patients 30 toothbrushes each of three different toothbrush types made by a single manufacturer. The toothbrushes were divided into three groups by type of construction: staple-set tufting (toothbrush A); in-mold tufting (toothbrush B); individual in-mold placement of filaments (toothbrush C). Subjects used the toothbrushes once under standardized conditions; the authors subsequently examined the brushes for the presence of Streptococcus mutans, lactobacilli and Candida species. The inspection was carried out at three time intervals after use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S. mutans was retained to the highest degree, followed by lactobacilli and finally by C. albicans. The authors found that the number of microorganisms on toothbrush types A and B did not reveal a significant difference either on examination immediately after use or after the toothbrushes had been dried for two hours or eight hours. The technique of individual in-mold placement of filaments made retention of microorganisms more difficult. The difference between the number of germs retained on toothbrush types A and C, as well as that between the number of germs retained on types B and C, was significant or even highly significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that toothbrushes made with the technique of individual in-mold placement of filaments appear to retain the least amount of microbial material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the fact that toothbrushes always are a possible source of microbial reinfection, the arrangement of the filaments within the head of the toothbrush is of great importance with regard to hygiene.
authors: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Dental School, Germany. willie-eckhard.wetzel@dentist.med.uni-giessen.de
authors: Willi-Eckhard
authors: WE
authors: Wetzel
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Schaumburg
authors: Franziska
authors: F
authors: Ansari
authors: Torsten
authors: T
authors: Kroeger
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Sziegoleit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000382:microbiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*