Bacteria associated with tooth infection among school children in Ijadu, Ado Ekiti

Abstract

Good oral health helps to minimize any etiologic agents of disease in the mouth. WHO pointed that the global problem of oral disease still persists despite great improvements in the oral health of population in several countries. WHO claimed that poor oral health may have a profound effect on general health as well as quality of life, and several oral diseases are related to chronic diseases (Petersen et al. 2005). There is great need to encourage good oral health in children hence this study was carried out. The aim was to study the occurrence of tooth infection among primary school children in Ado-Ekiti. Tooth swab samples were collected from 60 primary school children between aged 5-10 after obtaining informed consent from their parents. Samples were cultured and colonies formed were identified morphologically and biochemically characterized. Drug resistance profile was determined using different antibiotics. Forty one children were found with different bacteria on their teeth. The bacteria isolated were Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Streptococcus mitis. Majority of the organisms showed that they were mostly multi-drug resistant strains. Cefuroxime is the best drug of choice to treat Gram negative organisms that cause tooth infection; it has 100% success on the gram negative organisms isolated.