Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12% as a preventive strategy, to avoid reinoculation of mutans streptococci, present in toothbrushes, baby food and baby bottles

Abstract

This experimental study evaluated 0.12% Chlorhexidine Gluconate as a strategy to avoid reinoculation in the oral cavity of mutans Streptococci present in toothbrushes, baby food and feeding bottles. Twenty-eight new toothbrushes were randomized into 4 groups. The experimental, control, and positive control groups were inoculated with mutans streptococci, then the control group was atomized with tap water, the experimental group with 0.12% Chlorhexidine Gluconate, and the positive control with nothing to observe the presence of the microorganism. The negative control was used to verify that the microorganism is not present on the brush when it is removed from the packaging. Twenty-eight pepes and baby bottles were subjected to the same procedure. According to the analyzes carried out, 0.12% Chlorhexidine Gluconate in the form of a spray reduces the concentration of mutans Streptococci by 99.99% in pepes, 99.58% in toothbrushes and 96.72% in baby bottles.