22 March 2024

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Home oral hygiene starts with sanitizing the toothbrush and other instruments

Gianna Maria Nardi

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The health of the oral cavity is determined by a condition of eubiosis of the oral cavity, ensuring the microbiological balance of approximately 900 different microbial species. In the motivational approach to correct home oral hygiene lifestyles, the sanitation of dedicated instruments must be considered. The assisted person must be informed that during brushing the bristles of the toothbrush and of the brushes and tongue cleaners become contaminated by bacterial biofilm, saliva, blood, food residues and residues of toothpaste or gel used.

Another health danger is environmental contamination. Several studies have evaluated the microbial contamination on the toothbrush head, between the tufts of bristles, after 1 and 3 months of use in bathrooms without attached toilets, highlighting the presence of E. Coli on the surface of the toothbrushes, probably also due to the nebulization of the substances and microorganisms present in toilets during the flushing phase. 

This scientific evidence has focused on the exposure to the risk of developing pathologies triggered by fecal microorganisms and E. Coli, a gram negative microorganism belonging to the «Enterobacteriaceae» group: it is gram negative, facultative anaerobic, ferments glucose, reduces nitrate, it is catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Microorganism with broad spectrum of virulence and presents two important factors:

Specialized adhesives - allow it to remain in the gastrointestinal tract or urinary tract.

Exotoxins - produces several such as heat-stable toxins, Hemolysin Hya. In the gastrointestinal tract it can mainly cause septicemia, neonatal meningitis, urinary tract infections, gastroenteritis.

Furthermore, studies have highlighted the presence, on the bristles of toothbrushes used for 1 to 3 months in bathrooms with attached toilets, of other bacterial species including: Streptococcus Mutans, Staphylococcus Aureus, Pseudomonas, Candida, Lactobacillus. The 24, 48 and 72 hour checks showed greater contamination of toothbrushes covered by a case.

The sanitation of oral hygiene instruments must be given the importance it deserves as a necessary home hygiene procedure to reduce the risk of the onset of oral cavity pathologies and systemic pathologies.

To facilitate the easy and ergonomic management of the sanitization phase at least twice a week, (better to establish fixed days shared with the assisted person) we can indicate the use of spray solutions with innovative molecules such as ozonated olive oil, cetylpyridinium chloride , sodium bicarbonate, in order to protect the oral hygiene kit from bacteria, fungi and viruses, at a distance of 5 cm from the surface to be sanitized and to sensitize them to the control of the bad smell caused by bacterial fermentation in the kit's humid environment.

It is advisable to keep the oral hygiene kit in your vanity in hotels, in order to avoid possible environmental contamination during reorganization and to pay particular attention in case of hospitalization and/or on all those occasions with environmental risk.

Dental hygienists are healthcare workers who deal with oral health in the public and private sector and oral hygiene and environmental hygiene lifestyles are an important and integral part of this.