Tooth paste/tooth brush: Boon or bane for oral hygiene

Sumerians practiced oral hygiene as early as 3000 BC and by the year 1600, Chinese had used bone handle with horse hair bristles as a toothbrush. Since then the toothbrush has undergone drastic changes. In the recent years, toothbrush has evolved in various types and designs based on its relation to shape, size, structure of bristle, material used for bristle, etc. In spite of all these advancements, toothbrush is still regarded as a carrier of bacteria especially Streptococcus mutans . Studies have shown that toothbrushes and paste are colonized by bacteria soon after use. The present study is carried out to determine the presence of microorganism in the toothpaste and used tooth bristles at 15 min and 24 h after brushing.