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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ORAL BACTERIAL REDUCTION USING VARIOUS TEETH CLEANING METHODS**

Abstract

The oral cavity serves as the gateway to the rest of the body, therefore maintaining low bacteria levels in the mouth plays a critical role in preventing the spread of pathogens and reducing risk for systemic disease. While both manual and electric toothbrushes are widely used, there is ongoing debate about which method provides superior reduction of oral bacteria across different regions of the mouth. This study aims to quantitatively compare the effectiveness of manual versus electric toothbrushing by measuring pre- and post-brushing bacterial levels on the teeth, gumline, and tongue. I hypothesize that the electric toothbrush will be more effective at reducing bacterial colonies in the oral cavity than the manual toothbrush. A total of 14 volunteers (N=14) participated in a repeated-measures design in which each individual completed four brushing sessions on separate days. Immediately following each brushing session, sterile swabs were collected from three distinct oral regions – the anterior surfaces of upper and lower teeth, the gumline along the same region, and the dorsal surface of the tongue. Each swab was streaked onto an individual agar plate and incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. Colony-forming units (CFUs) were then counted to quantify bacterial presence. Preliminary observations suggest a trend toward lower bacterial colony counts following use of an electric toothbrush compared to a manual toothbrush. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is essential not only for preventing cavities and gum disease but also for supporting overall health. The bacterial reduction demonstrated in this study can help educate the public in an accessible way because quantitative results are compelling to patients. If dentists can reference evidence like this research, individuals may be more likely to adopt electric toothbrushes and sustain effective brushing habits.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge Eubank Family Dentistry for their generous donation of manual toothbrushes that supported this research.

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