Properties of Natural Materials as Alternative to Nylon Bristles – An Exploratory Study for Reduction of Polymer Usage

Abstract

Background: Nylon bristles are the most commonly used type of bristle in toothbrushes, but they have both advantages and disadvantages. Nylon bristles can be too hard or abrasive for some people's teeth and gums. Nylon is not biodegradable and can harbor bacteria if not cleaned properly. Aims: In order to explore the possibility of using natural fibers this study was conducted. Materials and Methods: Twigs of neem, banyan, babool and miswak were purchased as fresh twigs, wiped clean, hammered on a hard wood base to obtain fibers of desired lengths. Physical appearance, Bend Recovery, Folding Endurance and Antibacterial adhesion against B. Subtilis were evaluated. All experiments were performed as triplicate and mean and standard deviation were reported. Results: Digital microscopy showed well defined fibers of fairly constant diameter, apparent from the superimposed scale. Results of bend recovery analysis showed that miswak fibers were flexible and recovery was good. Folding Endurance test showed miswak and banyan were having great folding endurance. Bacterial adhesion with B. Subtilis was heavy in all fibres. The antibacterial activity of four extracts showed that all groups had identifiable antimicrobial activity at 2000 µg concentrations. Conclusion: From results of the study, it can be inferred that miswak is the most suitable material to be used for fabricating bristles in its native form. Keywords: Babool, Banyan, Bristles, Natural Fibres; Neem Miswak.