Determined result of bacterial contamination of toothbrush

Abstract

Background: Many researchers have noted that infections transmitted by toothbrushes can cause organ system disorders, and people may become contaminated with microorganisms due to the open storage of toothbrushes after brushing. Therefore, we advocate for studying the implications of bacterial contamination from toothbrushes under controlled clinical conditions. Aim: Determining the bacterial contamination of toothbrushes about household conditions and duration of use. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from February 13th to March 13th, 2024, using a cross-sectional design at the Department of Microbiology and Infection Prevention, School of Biomedicine, MNUMS. Employing a randomized controlled trial methodology, we recruited 31 participants who used toothbrushes, collected samples from the bristles, and incubated them at 37°C for 2 hours, followed by serial dilutions and plating on Mueller-Hinton agar. Additionally, MacConkey agar, urinary tract infection (UTI) agar, triple sugar iron (TSI) agar, and urease tests were performed to assess bacterial contamination. Results: In the total study population, 64.5% were female, and 35.5% were male, with an average age of 25 ± 9.6 years. It was seen that 9,5% did not have tooth decay and the rest of the percentage had tooth decay. People who stored their toothbrushes in a bathroom with toilets took 38,7%, stored their toothbrushes in a dedicated cap 35,5%, in a room with no toilets 16,1%, bathroom with no toilets 9,7%. Regarding the use of toothbrushes, 13 people used them for 3 months, 6 people for 6 months, and 12 people for 7 months, 61.3% brush their tongues and 38.7% don’t brush their tongues. When determining the number of bacteria in the toothbrush, 35.5% were extremely polluted (more than 10000), 32.25% were highly polluted (1000-9999), 16.7% were moderately polluted (100-999), 6.45% were with low pollution (1-99), and 9.67% were without pollution. When analyzing the microorganisms, 50% were E.coli, 32% were P.aeruginosa, 14.6% were E.coli and P.aeruginosa together, and 3.4% were K.pneumoniae. Storing toothbrushes in the bathroom with toilets is 6.5 times more likely to be contaminated with E.coli and 11.9 times the number of bacteria the longer the toothbrush is in use. (p=0.014) Conclusion: Storing and using toothbrushes in a bathroom with toilets for 4 months or more increases the chance of bacterial contamination.