R Patcas1, R Zbinden2, M Schätzle1, P R Schmidlin3, M Zehnder3. 1. Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Clinic of Orthodontics and Pediatric, Dentistry, Plattenstr. 11, Zurich, 8032, Switzerland. 2. Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8032, Switzerland. 3. Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8032, Switzerland.
Abstract
Aims: It is the holiday season, but your toothbrush does not look very festive. It is damp and has been used and contaminated by someone else. To rectify this heinous crime, this study investigates the effectiveness of three household objects to disinfect toothbrushes. Design: In-vitro study performed under conditions simulating everyday life. Materials and methods: Twenty toothbrushes were contaminated using a mixture of saliva and trypticase soy broth containing Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. These contaminated toothbrushes were submerged in whisky, cooked in a microwave oven, or exposed to the hot air stream of a hairdryer, separately. Each treatment was performed on five toothbrushes for one minute. Untreated specimens (n = 5) served as controls. Toothbrushes were subsequently sonicated in sterile physiological saline, which was plated on selective agars. Bacterial counts were graded as low, medium, or high. Results: Residual contamination was influenced by the disinfectant applied, both in E. coli (p <0.001) and E. faecalis (p = 0.019). Microwave cooking achieved highest decontamination, while whisky had no significant effect on bacterial counts over no treatment (p = 0.8). Hot air showed some limited effectiveness under current conditions. Conclusions: Microwave oven cooking appears to be a simple, cheap, and effective way to reduce bacterial contamination of your toothbrush.
Aims: It is the holiday season, but your toothbrush does not look very festive. It is damp and has been used and contaminated by someone else. To rectify this heinous crime, this study investigates the effectiveness of three household objects to disinfect toothbrushes. Design: In-vitro study performed under conditions simulating everyday life. Materials and methods: Twenty toothbrushes were contaminated using a mixture of saliva and trypticase soy broth containing Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. These contaminated toothbrushes were submerged in whisky, cooked in a microwave oven, or exposed to the hot air stream of a hairdryer, separately. Each treatment was performed on five toothbrushes for one minute. Untreated specimens (n = 5) served as controls. Toothbrushes were subsequently sonicated in sterile physiological saline, which was plated on selective agars. Bacterial counts were graded as low, medium, or high. Results: Residual contamination was influenced by the disinfectant applied, both in E. coli (p <0.001) and E. faecalis (p = 0.019). Microwave cooking achieved highest decontamination, while whisky had no significant effect on bacterial counts over no treatment (p = 0.8). Hot air showed some limited effectiveness under current conditions. Conclusions: Microwave oven cooking appears to be a simple, cheap, and effective way to reduce bacterial contamination of your toothbrush.
Authors: Zorangel Amézquita-Montes; Maria Tamborski; Usa G Kopsombut; Chengxian Zhang; Octavio S Arzuza; Oscar G Gómez-Duarte Journal: Foodborne Pathog Dis Date: 2015-03-18 Impact factor: 3.171
Authors: Robert S Donofrio; Robin Bechanko; Nathan Hitt; Kathy O'Malley; Tamara Charnauski; Lorelle L Bestervelt; Nabaneeta Saha; Ratul Saha Journal: J Environ Health Date: 2012-09 Impact factor: 1.179