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. 2019 Jun 25;11(6):e4992.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.4992.

An In-vitro Assessment of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Toothbrush Bristle Following Decontamination by Three Different Methods: A Pilot Study

Ram Sabarish  1 , Sree Ramya Chaparala  1 , Padma Priya Yelisetty  1 , Balaji Sk  1 , Vamsi Lavu  1 , Meenakshi Mohan  2
Affiliations

An In-vitro Assessment of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Toothbrush Bristle Following Decontamination by Three Different Methods: A Pilot Study

Ram Sabarish et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background Toothbrushes are the most commonly used mechanical plaque control methods, and they are said to harbor microorganisms if not stored properly following usage. Objective An assessment of the influence of a decontaminating agent (sterile water (control)/chlorhexidine mouthwash/herbal mouthwash) on the properties of toothbrush bristles following storage for 24 hrs by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Methodology The study involves a total of 24 slim soft toothbrushes (six samples per group) with different decontaminating agents: Group 1: Vented container, Group 2: Sterile water, Group 3: 0.2% Chlorhexidine mouthwash, and Group 4: Herbal mouthwash. The toothbrushes were stored in their respective containers for 24 hours, following which, snippets of toothbrush bristles were collected and tested for the evaluation of wear using SEM and the biochemical alteration occurring in the bristles was assessed using FTIR. Results and conclusion The Group 2 and Group 3 samples showed significant wear (Score 2) under SEM evaluation, and FTIR spectroscopy evaluation revealed that changes occur in the fingerprint region of infrared spectroscopy owing to chemical bond alteration following decontamination. Considering the benefits we acquire in terms of microbial load reduction, decontamination is recommended, though it might necessitate frequent changing of toothbrushes.

Keywords: aerosols; fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy; toothbrush; toothbrush decontamination.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. SEM micrographs of toothbrush bristles following 24-hour decontamination.
Images A, B, C, and D are micrographs of bristles placed in an air-vented container, distilled water, chlorhexidine, and HiOra mouthwash respectively. SEM: scanning electron microscopy HiOra: The Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, India
Figure 2
Figure 2. Graphical representation of FTIR analysis
FTIR: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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