This investigation evaluated the effectiveness of an infection control protocol for cleansing and disinfecting removable dental prostheses. Sixty-four dentures were rubbed with sterile cotton swab immediately after they had been taken from patients' mouths. Samples were individually placed in the culture medium and immediately incubated at 37 +/- 2 degrees C. The dentures were scrubbed for 1 min with 4% chlorhexidine, rinsed for 1 min in sterile water and placed for 10 min in one of the following immersion solutions: 4% chlorhexidine gluconate, 1% sodium hypochlorite, Biocide (iodophors) and Amosan (alkaline peroxide). After the disinfection procedures, the dentures were immersed in sterile water for 3 min, reswabbed and the samples were incubated. All samples obtained in the initial culture were contaminated with micro-organisms. All the lower dentures immersed in Biocide showed positive growth, and the upper dentures were positive for growth in six of eight dentures. The 4% chlorhexidine gluconate, 1% sodium hypochlorite and Amosan solutions have been proved effective to reduce the growth of the micro-organisms in the 10 min immersion period. The protocol evaluated in this study seems to be a viable method to prevent cross-contamination between dental personnel and patients.

It was concluded that non-polymerized MUPB has an antimicrobial capacity close to that of CPC and high cytotoxicity when compared with MMA. The antimicrobial activity of MUPB after incorporation within a denture base acrylic resin did not depend on its elution, but was shown to be restricted to C. albicans.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy of various disinfectants on planktonic cells and biofilm cells of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Numbers of viable biofilm cells decreased after treatment with all tested disinfectants (iodine, biguanide, quaternary ammonium compounds, peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite). Sodium hypochlorite was the most effective disinfectant against biofilm cells, while biguanide was the least effective. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that cells adhered on stainless steel surface after treatment with the disinfectants. No viable planktonic cells were observed after treatment with the same disinfectants. Based on our findings, we concluded that biofilm cells might be more resistant to disinfectants than plancktonic cells.

Several antiseptic substances have been used as adjuncts to routine mechanical procedures of oral hygiene, based on their antimicrobial effects. The objective of this study was to assess in vitro the antimicrobial efficiency of a mouthwash containing Triclosan/Gantrez and sodium bicarbonate in comparison to both positive and negative controls. Standard strain samples of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Actinomyces viscosus and Bacillus subtilis were used. Samples of Streptococcus mutans and Gram-negative bacilli were collected from 20 volunteers (10 with a clinically healthy periodontium and 10 presenting biofilm-associated gingivitis). Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity was performed by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results indicated that the test solution inhibited the growth of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms from the volunteers’ saliva as well as that of the standard strains at the MIC dilution of 1:20, whereas the MIC dilution of 0.12% chlorhexidine against the same bacteria was 1:80. Thus, even though the tested mouthrinse solution presented an in-vitro antimicrobial activity superior to that of a placebo, it was inferior to that of chlorhexidine.

A utilização de extratos vegetais vem se tornando uma alternativa importante para a prevenção de doenças periodontais. Este trabalho objetivou desenvolver uma formulação de enxagüatório bucal, contendo, em associação, extratos hidroalcoólicos de INTRODUÇÃOAs plantas medicinais constituem importantes recursos terapêuticos para o tratamento de doenças, principalmente das populações das nações em desenvolvimento. Servem tanto à conhecida "medicina caseira", que faz parte da cultura popular destes países, como de matéria-prima para elaboração de medicamentos fitoterápicos ou extração de compostos químicos com atividade terapêutica (Freitas, 1999). A fitoterapia existe principalmente no mercado informal, o que representa grande perigo à saúde da população, pois neste caso, sua comercialização ocorre desconsiderando os aspectos relativos ao controle de identidade e/ou pureza. É indiscutível a necessidade de um maior e melhor controle nesse ramo cosmético e farmacêutico, pois os fitoterápicos representam uma alternativa economicamente viável à população (Bendazzoli, 2000).A abrangência da utilização de fitoterápicos e de plantas medicinais é vasta e engloba fins variados, também em relação à saúde bucal. Considerando as doenças periodontais, pode-se defini-las como, um processo infeccioso que resulta em uma potente resposta inflamatória (Monteiro et al., 2002). Alguns microorganismos, tidos como patógenos periodontais, possuem a capacidade de implantar-se no sulco gengival, produzindo substâncias tóxicas que degeneram o tecido periodontal (Rubira, 1993). A susceptibilidade individual e as influências ambientais estão diretamente envolvidas neste processo, onde a gengivite e a periodontite representam as formas mais comuns da doença (Figueiredo et al., 2002).Os dados sobre a prevalência das doenças periodontais no Brasil, são alarmantes, estando próxima de cem por cento (Oppermann, Kuchnbecker, 2001), abrangendo, sobretudo crianças de diferentes regiões. A mudança desta situação implicaria na adoção das práti-cas individuais de higiene bucal (Pereira et al., 1994), onde seria também necessário o planejamento de programas preventivos e da terapia periodontal básica (Marcantonio, Santos, 1998).O controle do biofilme bacteriano dentro das diversas especialidades odontológicas é de grande importância, pois aponta tanto para a prevenção, como para o tratamento, da cárie e de doenças periodontais. Com a finalidade de auxiliar os métodos convencionais de higiene bucal (escovação, fio ou fita dental) muitos agentes químicos vêm sendo estudados, entre eles antibióticos, compostos quaternários de amônio, acetato e gluconato de clorexidina e outros (Oliveira et al., 1998). No entanto, o uso freqüente e por longo prazo da clorexidina, apresenta alguns efeitos indesejáveis (Rey, 1999). Outros ativos, como os antiinflamatórios e anti-sépticos, também vêm sendo utilizados amplamente para afecções da mucosa bucal.A eficácia de plantas medicinais, como componentes tanto nos géis dentifrícios, como nos enxaguatórios bucais, tem sido inv...

No abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether random amplified polymorphic DNA (AP-PCR) analysis is able to differentiate genetically different clones of mutans streptococci, in 22 Brazilian family members. Stimulated saliva samples were collected from fathers, mothers and infants. For 5-18 months babies with erupting primary dentition, plaque samples were collected using sterile tooth pick tips. From these samples, mutans streptococci were isolated on SB-20 agar plates. After growth, representative colonies were identified by biochemical methods on the basis of carbohydrate fermentation. Streptococcus mutans isolates were obtained from all family members and AP-PCR typed separately with a random primer (OPA-13). Bacterial cell lysates were used as template in PCR reactions and the amplified DNA fragments obtained were compared by agarose gel electrophoresis. Results demonstrated that the father shared the baby's genotype in three families and the mother shared the baby's genotype in 12 families seven babies harbored Streptococcus mutans strains similar to those of their siblings. The technique was able to demonstrate the genetic Streptococcus mutans in Brazilian family members.

Central venous catheters from intensive care unit patients were subjected to microbiological methods (semiquantitative culture) and scanning electron microscopy in order to assess microbial attachment and correlate it with blood cultures. During the period of the survey, 59 patients with inserted central venous catheters were studied. The type of catheter used was nontunneled, noncuffed, single lumen, made of polyurethane. Blood samples for cultures were collected at the moment of catheter removal. Data on the patient's age, gender, catheter insertion site, and duration of catheterization were also obtained. From 63 catheters tips analysed, 30 (47.6%) showed microbial colonization. Infection proved to be more prevalent in 26 (41.3%) patients with catheters inserted via subclavia vein than in 2 (3.2%) inserted via the jugular vein. Infection was observed more frequently in catheters which were kept in place more than seven days. A. baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, E. aerogenes, P. aeruginosa and S. saprohyticus were isolated as causal agents of catheter-related bloodstream infections. The antimicrobial agent with greater in vitro activity against Gram-negative bacteria was imipenen and against Gram-positive were vancomycin, cefepime, penicillin, rifampin and tetracycline. The SEM analyses revealed biofilms on surfaces of all the catheters examined.