Efetividade da solução de cloreto de sódio na desinfecção de escovas dentais contaminadas

Abstract

Sodium Chloride has been studied as a sanitizing solution in several areas. However, no report of its use has been found in Dentistry. The aim of this study was to evaluated the use of a 10% saline solution as disinfectant. The solution was used against 05 different bacterial strains: Staphycoccus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus salivares, Streptococcus mutans and Echerichia coli, which are commonly found in the oral environment, and may lead to diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease. In total, it was used 30 toothbrushes, which were divided in 5 different groups containing 6 toothbrushes each (n=06). To accurately evaluate the effect of the saline solution it was used a test solution (10% NaCl) on 03 toothbrushes of each group and a placebo solution (0.9% NaCl) on the remainders. The test solution was kept in contact with the toothbrushes' bristles for 10 minutes by the minimum time recommended for which disinfection would be completed. Then, toothbrush rinsing was simulated, and the liquid was collected and preserved so that a CFU (Colony forming unit calculation) could be performed. From the samples 0.1 mL was pipetted and plated on the specific medium for best growth of each bacterial strain. The CFU obtained was then multiplied by 1000. The 10% NaCl solution was an effective disinfectant of toothbrushes contaminated with Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans and decreased the growth of both Streptococcus salivarius. However, there was no disinfectant effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis at 10% NaCl solution, which may suggest that further research using higher concentrations of sodium chloride should be pursued.