Effects of easy-to-perform procedures to reduce bacterial colonization withStreptococcus mutansandStaphylococcus aureuson toothbrushes

Abstract

It is well known that dental caries and periodontitis are the consequence of bacterial colonization and biofilm formation on the enamel surface. The continuous presence of bacterial biofilms on the tooth surface results in demineralization of the tooth enamel and induces an inflammatory reaction of the surrounding gums (gingivitis). The retention and survival of microorganisms on toothbrushes pose a threat of recontamination especially for certain patients at risk for systemic infections originating from the oral cavity, e.g., after T-cell depleted bone marrow transplantation. Thus, the effects of different decolonization schemes on bacterial colonization of toothbrushes were analyzed, in order to demonstrate their applicability to reduce the likelihood of (auto-)reinfections.Toothbrushes were intentionally contaminated with standardized suspensions of Streptococcus mutans or Staphylococcus aureus. Afterwards, the toothbrushes were exposed to rinsing under distilled water, rinsing and drying for 24 h, 0.2% chlorhexidinebased decolonization, or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The remaining colony forming units were compared with freshly contaminated positive controls. Each experiment was nine-fold repeated. Bi-factorial variance analysis was performed; significance was accepted at P < 0.05.All tested procedures led to a significant reduction of bacteral colonization irrespective of the toothbrush model, the brush head type, or the acitivity state. Chlorhexidine-based decolonization was shown to be superior to rinsing and slightly superior to rinsing and drying for 24 h, while UV radiation was similarly effective as chlorhexidine. UV radiation was slightly less prone to speciesdependent limitations of its decolonizing effects by bristle thickness of toothbrushes than chlorhexidin.Reduction of bacterial colonization of toothbrushes might reduce the risk of maintaining bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract. Accordingly, respective procedures are advisable, particularly as they are cheap and easy to perform.

Study on the Promotion of Bacterial Biofilm Formation by a Salmonella Conjugative Plasmid and the Underlying Mechanism

“…Bacteria harboring pR ST98 developed slimy and viscous pellicles, while pR ST98 -free bacteria formed loose and less coherent BFs [13] . Tomography and three-dimensional reconstruction by CLSM showed that BFs in S. typhi ST 8 and ST 8 -c-pR ST98 were developed with 43.23 µm and 47.62 µm thicknesses, respectively, which were much thicker than that in ST 8 -ΔpR ST98 with a thickness of 21.74 µm; S. Typhimurium harboring pR ST98 was a stronger BF developer (χ3337: 24.22 µm vs χ3337/pR ST98 : 44.33 µm; χ3337 lux : 25.89 µm vs χ3337 lux /pR ST98 : 40.30 µm); E. coli K 12 W 1485 produced a BF of 9.1 µm in thickness, while the BF developed by E. coli K 12 W 1485 /pR ST98 had a thickness of 45.06 µm.…”

“…The resistance against multiple antibiotics is greatly increased when Salmonella is enclosed in a BF [12] , which makes BF-related diseases more difficult to treat or cure. The persistence of bacterial BFs on the surface of teeth damages the tooth enamel and induces an inflammatory reaction in the surrounding gums [13] . S. Typhi BFs formed on the gallbladder were reported to be associated with the occurrence of liver cancer [14] .…”

Effectiveness of Use of Ultraviolet Sanitizing Devices for Reduction of Bacterial Colonies on Toothbrushes

“…Citrobacter sp., Serratia sp., Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. [3,[12][13][14] Several different methods are used to reduce microbes in toothbrush such as soaking, toothbrush in alcohol or disinfectant solution, ultraviolet radiation. [5,7,13] However, research results show that toothbrushes are placed in closed containers and exposed to contaminated surfaces resulting in higher bacterial counts than those left open.…”

Desgaste e armazenamento das escovas dentais numa unidade oncológica infantil Dental brush wear and storage in a child oncological unit

“…A escova representa um recurso simples, eficaz, com alcance coletivo e boa repercussão social, sendo indispensável para a manutenção da saúde bucal. Apesar da importância da escova, esta pode ser um potencial transmissor de doenças, pois pode tornar-se contaminada por microrganismos vindos do biofilme oral, do meio a que está exposta ou de ambos [8,17,21].…”