Antimicrobial activity of various brands of children's toothpastes formulated with Triclosan, Fluoride and Xylitol

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate and compare the antimicrobial efficacy of four different commercially available children’s toothpastes on bacteria growth inhibition from oral microbiota of young children. Material and Method: The toothpastes tested contained: 1100 ppm sodium fluoride, xylitol and 750 ppm sodium fluoride, xylitol and 500 ppm sodium fluoride, and xylitol and triclosan. Twenty 18 to 30 month-old children were selected. Nonstimulated saliva samples were collected and inoculated on brain heart infusion (BHI) agar. Toothpaste dilutions were applied into the agar wells and incubated at 37ºC for 24 hours in microaerophilic conditions. Saline and 0.12% chlorhexidine were used as controls. Antimicrobial activity was determined in duplicate by agar-well diffusion technique. Bacterial growth inhibition zones were recorded in mm. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (p<0.05). Results: All toothpastes showed antimicrobial activity when compared to negative control (p<0.05). Toothpaste containing triclosan presented the highest antimicrobial activity followed, in this order, by xylitol and 750 ppm sodium fluoride, chlorhexidine, 1100 ppm sodium fluoride, xylitol and 500 ppm sodium fluoride and saline. Conclusions: Toothpaste containing triclosan and xylitol presented excellent antimicrobial activity, and may be considered a good option for young children.Key words: Toothpastes. Oral hygiene. Pediatric Dentistry.

Halitosis: a conceptual, etiologic and therapeutic approach

“…When the identified cause is the tongue coating, periodontitis or caries, the primary way to reduce intraoral halitosis is to eliminate the bacteria synthetizing the chemical compounds responsible for malodor [46,84] through a mechanical reduction of the microorganisms [18]. Patients must receive guidance about brushing their teeth, mechanical cleanliness of the tongue [84] and flossing or interdental cleaning devices such as interdental brushes [15,[85][86][87]. Even though oral hygiene practices are a daily issue, some people have a lack of proper knowledge about the correct execution and frequency of such practices [88].…”

“…As a complement to the treatment of intraoral causes, we can use some oral hygiene products which can reduce microorganisms or have the ability to mask the malodor. There are mouthwashes and toothpastes with antiseptic activity [87] and there are also products with oxidizing potential available [46], which will perform a chemical reduction of the microorganisms and VSC neutralization respectively [18]. Besides these, there are products acting only by masking the malodor [62].…”