Antimicrobial efficacy of disinfecting solutions against S. mutans on toothbrushes for school children in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Toothbrush bristles harbor pathogenic microorganisms like Streptococcus mutans, posing a continuous risk for reinfection and dental caries in children. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the ability of 5% neem, 5% green tea, 5% turmeric, 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) and tap water to disinfect Streptococcus mutans-contaminated toothbrushes after 12 hours of soaking. A randomized double-blind crossover study of 40 students (12-15 years) was conducted. All disinfectants significantly reduced bacterial counts compared to baseline, with the greatest reduction observed with 0.2% chlorhexidine, followed by 5% green tea. Thus, data shows that all disinfectants were effective, 0.2% chlorhexidine was the most effective and 5% green tea was a strong herbal alternative.