Glucose fermentative Gram-negative bacilli present in toothbrushes belonging to a population of intermediate socioeconomic status

Abstract

Introduction: inadequate storage of  toothbrushes promotes contamination by microorganisms that are not  part  of   the  oral  microbiota  and  that  may  cause  diseases once in the mouth. This research was aimed at  determining  the  presence  of   glucose-fermentative  Gram-negative  bacilli  in  toothbrushes  used  by  a  po-pulation of  intermediate socioeconomic status.

Methods: a  descriptive  cross-sectional  study  was  conducted.  A  total  of   50  toothbrushes  belonging  to  individuals  of   intermediate  socioeconomic  status  were  analyzed.  Two  samples  were  taken  from  each  toothbrush  using  smears  and  inoculations  made  in  culture  media  for  microbiological  analysis.  The  sto-rage  method  of   the  toothbrush  and  the  distance  in  meters  between  the  brush  and  the  toilet  were  also  evaluated.

Results: bacterial  growth  was  positive  in  58%  of   the  cultures;  out  of   these,  glucose-fermentative  Gram-negative  bacilli  were  isolated  in  87.9%  of   the  cases, whose 37,2% were Enterobacter cloacae. The most frequent  form  of   storage  of   the  toothbrushes  were  containers with a lid located in a drawer with a door in 34%  of   the  cases.  The  longest  distance  between  the  toothbrushes  and  the  toilet  was  3  meters  in  44%  of   the cases.

Conclusions: the results indicate significant conta-mination  of   toothbrushes  with  glucose-fermentative  Gram-negative bacilli, especially Enterobacter cloacae.