Efficiency of tongue-cleansing using toothbrush, tongue scraper or dental floss in reducing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria

TL;DRAbstract

Objective To compare the efficiency of tongue-cleansing methods using a toothbrush, a tongue scraper or dental floss in reducing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Materials and methods Tongue coat collected from 12 subjects by cleaning the tongue with a toothbrush, a tongue scraper, or dental floss were cultured to investigate type and number of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The ability to produce hydrogen sulfide gas of anaerobic bacteria was also investigated. The average numbers of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria colonies as well as the percentage of hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria obtained from each tongue cleansing method were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test or one-way ANOVA. Results The numbers of bacteria cultured from tooth-brushing and tongue-scraping methods were significantly greater than those from the dental floss (p < 0.05). While bacteria cultured from tooth-brushing and tongue-scraping methods were not significantly different. Conclusion Tongue-cleansing methods u

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