Efficacy Analysis of Denture Cleansing Chemicals on Microbial Flora – An in vitro Study

Abstract

It is of paramount importance to maintain denture hygiene in denture wearers. It is important to know the effectiveness of denture cleaning chemicals in the elimination of known pathogenic microorganisms and efficacy of each chemical in reduction of known microbial flora. The test group commenced by placing 20 samples of sterilized acrylic resin blocks into the (BHI) broth inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus standard strain. After incubation, 5 samples of acrylic blocks were transferred from broth to 5 different test tubes containing solution ‘A’. Similarly 5 samples to solution ‘B’ and 5 to solutions ‘C’. All the test samples present in solution ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ after 7 hours were individually used to make the primary inoculums onto the agar plate. Remaining 5 samples present in the BHI broth which would serve as the control were directly used to make the primary inoculums onto the BHI agar plate. Staphylococcus aureus colonies were counted from BHI agar plates once the desired incubation period was achieved. In case of Candida albicans, 20 samples of sterilized acrylic blocks were immersed into the BHI Broth inoculated with Candida albicans of standard strain. After incubation, similarly 5 samples of each were immersed in test tubes containing solution ‘A’, ‘B’ and solution ‘C’. After completion all the test samples were individually used to make the primary inoculums onto the Sabouraud dextrose agar plate. Remaining 5 samples which will serve as control were directly used to make the primary inoculums into the Sabouraud dextrose agar plate. The fungal colonies were counted both in treated acrylic blocks and untreated acrylic blocks using colony counter unit once the desired incubation period was achieved. All the reading obtained from both the groups were statistically analyzed and it was concluded that ‘A’ denture cleansing agent brought about a reduction in the Staphylococcus aureus as well as Candida albicans to the highest degree as compared to `B’ and `C’. However there was no significant difference in the reduction brought about by ’B’ and ’C’. Nonetheless, `B’ proved to be better than ‘C’ in bringing about a reduction in Candida colonies which also proved to be statistically significant. It is important for every dentist to inspire and educate their patient and more essentially to offer various means and methods of plaque control.