Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry (Jan 2019)
A study to compare the efficacy of three different chemical agents as toothbrush disinfectant: A triple blind study
Abstract
Background: Toothbrushes are used as an adjunct for mechanical plaque control to improve the oral health and hygiene. However, toothbrushes are an easy source of contamination by the microorganisms. Rinsing with plain tap water may reduce this microbial load, but complete elimination is not possible. Aim: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of three different chemical agents as toothbrush disinfectant. Materials and Methods: A triple-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in a dental institute. Forty volunteers were divided into three experimental groups and one control group (n = 10). (Group A: 0.2% chlorhexidine; Group B: distilled water; Group C: Listerine; and Group D: 2% sodium hypochlorite). The participants were instructed to brush their teeth using toothbrushes with standard bristles and then disinfect their toothbrushes according to instructed methods. Bacterial decontamination of toothbrushes was measured by calculating colony-forming units (CFUs) of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Escherichia coli. Data were statistically analyzed using the SPSS software package for Windows (version 15.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Means, standard deviations, and for data of each microorganism after disinfection with different methods were calculated with descriptive statistics. The Bonferroni test was performed for post hoc analysis. A P value of 0.05 was considered as the level of statistical significance. Results: Means were calculated for the CFU in all the groups; Group D (2% sodium hypochlorite) was found to have highest mean reduction for all the microorganisms followed by Group C (Listerine), Group A (0.12% chlorhexidine), and Group B (distilled water) (control group). Conclusion: All the methods tested were effective in reducing the bacterial count of S. mutans, Staphylococcus, L. rhamnosus, and E. coli. However, the most effective method was NaOCl (2%) followed by Listerine, chlorhexidine, and water.
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