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Microbial Contamination of Tooth Paste Tube Orifice


Affiliations
1 Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
2 Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
4 PhD Scholar, A.B. Shetty memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
5 Researcher and Consultant Oral Pathologist, No 21, 11th Block, SBM Colony, Srirampura, Mysore, India
     

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Introduction: Tooth brushes are a vital component of routine oral hygiene aids used in promotion of oral health and prevention of oral diseases. Unfortunately, they are often stored in unsanitary conditions such as bathrooms. These unsanitary conditions are the settings that harbour millions of different pathogenic microbes.

Objective: To determine the microbial contamination of used toothpaste tube orifice.

Method: Sealed tooth brush and tooth paste tube were given to individual participants and to the families. Toothpaste tubes were collected from each family and from individuals after 30 days of usage. Microbiological samples were collected from the toothpaste orifice using sterile cotton swab. Organisms from swabs were cultured on selective media (nutrient agar) for the identification of certain groups of microorganisms. Colony Forming Units (CFU) was calculated using CFU counting unit. Gram staining was done to find out the nature and character of the organisms.

Results: A Clinical In-vitro study, the mean number of colony forming units was 246.6 ± 305.73 among single user and 709.5 ± 492.61 among multiple users as shown in Table 1. The distribution of microorganism CFU (Colony Forming Units) among single user and multiple users was found to be statistically significant (p=0.021).

Conclusion: In the present study, it was found that toothpaste tube can also be the possible source for potential pathogens that can compromise not only the health of the individual but also the individuals using the same toothpaste tube.


Keywords

Micro Organisms, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Cross Contamination.
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  • Microbial Contamination of Tooth Paste Tube Orifice

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Authors

Pooja M. R.
Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
Jithesh Jain
Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
Ananda S. R.
Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
Bhakti Jaduram Sadhu
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, Karnataka, India
Rohit A. Nair
PhD Scholar, A.B. Shetty memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Aparna H. Gopalakrishna
Researcher and Consultant Oral Pathologist, No 21, 11th Block, SBM Colony, Srirampura, Mysore, India

Abstract


Introduction: Tooth brushes are a vital component of routine oral hygiene aids used in promotion of oral health and prevention of oral diseases. Unfortunately, they are often stored in unsanitary conditions such as bathrooms. These unsanitary conditions are the settings that harbour millions of different pathogenic microbes.

Objective: To determine the microbial contamination of used toothpaste tube orifice.

Method: Sealed tooth brush and tooth paste tube were given to individual participants and to the families. Toothpaste tubes were collected from each family and from individuals after 30 days of usage. Microbiological samples were collected from the toothpaste orifice using sterile cotton swab. Organisms from swabs were cultured on selective media (nutrient agar) for the identification of certain groups of microorganisms. Colony Forming Units (CFU) was calculated using CFU counting unit. Gram staining was done to find out the nature and character of the organisms.

Results: A Clinical In-vitro study, the mean number of colony forming units was 246.6 ± 305.73 among single user and 709.5 ± 492.61 among multiple users as shown in Table 1. The distribution of microorganism CFU (Colony Forming Units) among single user and multiple users was found to be statistically significant (p=0.021).

Conclusion: In the present study, it was found that toothpaste tube can also be the possible source for potential pathogens that can compromise not only the health of the individual but also the individuals using the same toothpaste tube.


Keywords


Micro Organisms, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Cross Contamination.



DOI: https://doi.org/10.37506/v11%2Fi1%2F2020%2Fijphrd%2F193858