A novel approach to controlling bacterial contamination on toothbrushes: chlorhexidine coating.
OBJECTIVE
This project was conducted to determine the effectiveness of chlorhexidine-coated toothbrush filaments in reducing quantities of bacteria.


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 degrees 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 x 10(5) compared with 6.28 x 10(5) for the experimental group. Data from MS agar resulted in a mean CFU for the control group of 4.32 x 10(5) compared with 4.20 x 10(5) for the experimental group.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Turner
L A
LA
School of Dental Hygiene, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA. 5turners@verizon.net
McCombs
G B
GB
Hynes
W L
WL
Tolle
S L
SL
D000328:Adult; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000382:microbiology*; D019551:Dental Disinfectants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D013499:Surface Properties; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019551:Dental Disinfectants; D002710:Chlorhexidine