Title:
Testing the effectiveness of Alcohol and Alcohol- free Mouthwash against Bacteria
Introduction:
Large numbers of these products claim to do the same thing: kill bacteria. It is worth considering what these products actually do, compared to the claims about them.
Although many of these products promise that they present with a final 0% bacteria environment and fresh breath, the accuracy of this statement is highly dependent on the ingredients present within the solution.
Alcohol is a highly common ingredient in most mouthwashes because of its strong bacteria fighting effects. It has been used for many years by leading oral health care brands. Although this is a positive effect of alcohol in mouthwashes, many mouthwashes containing alcohol have been proven to have caused other health care problems such as dry mouth, etc. So, although alcoholic mouthwash kills much of the bacteria, it does not have an effect on the end result of the continuous problem of bad breath. Hence, mouthwashes that are alcohol free but contain another bacteria killing agent are more effective.
Recent studies completed by Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS showing that “products containing alcohol like Listerine wound up reducing bacteria in patients by between 13 percent and 56 percent, whilst Non-alcoholic rinses, such as Colgate Pro-Health, had a 15 percent effect on bacteria.” (Goldie, 2013)
For this experiment, a range of mouthwashes were used to test whether alcohol-based mouthwashes are more effective than non-alcohol-based mouthwashes. Products tested included two leading brands most commonly found and used within the everyday household, Listerine and Colgate. From these two brands a selection of four mouthwashes were chosen- Two alcohol fre...
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...both bacteria.
The final mouthwash tested Listerine Zero, proved to be the least effective, with an average of 3.47058824mm for S.albus and an average of 2.47647059 mm of E.coli. Containing no alcohol, this is the least effective.
The results from the raw data in Figure Two were then calculated into four averages and then presented in a Graph Figure Three.
Figure Three – Calculated averages of results recorded.
From Figure Three, it is clearly evident that Colgate Plax provided the best results and was the most effective against both E.coli and S.albus. Listerine Fresh Burst was the second most effective against S.albus and third best for E.coli. . Colgate Max White One was the third most effective for S.albus and second best for E.coli and Listerine Zero was the least effective for both S.albus and E.coli
Verma P, Chandrakar V, Chitra (2012) Antibiotic sensitivity treatment for gram negative bacteria isolated from pus sample. Int. J. Pharm Biol Sci. 2( 3): 359-363.
The data we gathered from our analysis are presented in a formal way on the following page.
The purpose of this experiment was to test which brand of whitening toothpaste is the most effective. The original hypothesis was that Crest 3D White Advanced Toothpaste be the most effective, while Arm & Hammer Advanced Whitening Toothpaste will be the least successful in whitening the tiles. The hypothesis also stated that the Sensodyne and Colgate brands will be equally as effective, while being more sufficient than Arm & Hammer, but less than Crest. The hypothesis was partially supported as Arm & Hammer was the least effective and Crest was the most. However, Sensodyne was more sufficient than Colgate. This was clearly displayed on the graphs
The first thing that was decided upon was to find the Mean, Median, and Mode. Using a calculator they were able to obtain the exact numbers.
Alcohol is mainly consumed orally; however, it can be injected and used topically (Maisto et al., 2011). Oral consumption is the chief method of administration. Potions can be co...
Obviously soap and warm water for 20 seconds or hand sanitizer. I will admit I was one of those that didn’t classify “handwashing” as using hand sanitizer, to me washing is soap and water, but it is considered washing and sometimes much more convenient than to be at a sink. But with all that in mind, we also need to remember when it is appropriate to use hand sanitizer. Alcohol based sanitizer kills most of the bad germs, but it does not kill C. difficile, a common healthcare-associated infection that causes diarrhea (CDC, May 5, 2017). If you are caring for a patient with this illness, then you must wash your hands with the real soap and water, no shortcuts! As well as when our hands are visibly soiled. Who wants to walk around with dirty hands anyway? In 2009, Cambridge University did a study correlating on compliance and no compliance with handwashing hygiene and guidelines in hospital care. There were 96 empirical studies, most of which were done in ICU units. They found and overall compliance of 40%. Unadjusted compliance rates were lower in intensive care units (30%-40%0, than in other settings (50%-60%), lower among physicians (32%) than among nurses and before (21%) rather than after (47%) patient contact. The majority of the time, the situations that were associated with low compliance rates were those with a high activity level/or those in which the physician was involved. The majority of the time, the situations that were associated with a higher compliance rate were those having to do with dirty tasks, the introduction of alcohol-based hand rub or gel, performance feedback and accessibility of materials (Cambridge, March
Listerine created a market for mouthwash in the 1920’s when they marketed it as a solution to chronic halitosis. However, in 1983, a new feature was added in which Listerine also fights plaque making it more desirable for consumers concerned with dental hygiene. Today, it continues to fight bad breath, and plaque having 70% of the total market share. According to Johnson & Johnson’s 2012 Annual Report one of the positive contributors to operational results was international sales of Listerine oral care products.
Hats off to bacteria! This article summarizes that bacteria are good for our body and help us function a lot better. Bacteria live in our guts, in our mouths, and on our skin. Overuse of antibiotics has disturbed the bacterial ecosystem, possibly so much that it is irreversible. In 1999 Lawrence Brandt a professor of medicine and surgery at the Albert Einstein College of medicine had success when trying to help a patient combat diarrhea induced by clostridium difficile. A patient developed diarrhea after taking a course of antibiotics for sinusitis; nothing could shake her C.difficile infection. Brandt reasoned the initial antibiotic treatment had killed gut bacteria that promote digestive health; not knowing which strain to replace, he transplanted stool form her husband. That night she reported marked improvement- for the first time in six months. This procedure has helped patients, but hopefully in the future doctors will be able to administer the particular strain of bacteria that is needed. 99% of the bacteria we harbor are resistant to culture in the lab. It was this impossible to study bacteria until the last decade or so, when DNA sequencing techniques allowed researchers to obtain gene sequences from as little as one bacterial cell. With this researchers found that bacteria cells in our bodies outnumber our human cells. Bacterial exposure throughout our lifetime is needed for our wellbeing, thinking, and functioning, contributing to conditions such as diabetes, obesity, allergies, asthma, and atherosclerosis, as well as to anxiety and mood and cognition disorders. These conditions have become more prominent because of our obsession with sanitation has eliminated the exposure to bacteria humans used to routinely get throu...
Molinari, J., & Hart, J. (2010). How to Choose and Use Environmental Surface Disinfectants. Cottone's Practical Infection Control in Dentistry (Third Edition ed., pp. 185- 193). Philadelphia: Wolters Kumar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Brushing your teeth twice a day only cleans twenty-five percent of the mouth at a time. It is for this reason why dentist recommend a healthy fluoride solution to be included into your daily brushing routine; this mouthwash solution will help flush away any food remnants and harmful bacteria from the hard to reach crevasses in the mouth. If this step is skipped it can lead to the formation of dental caries and gum disease, which can lead to worse things if they are not taken care of. To help stress the importance of dental hygiene, Listerine, which is a mouth wash company, released an advertisement for their cool mint flavored antiseptic mouthwash in the hopes of getting non-mouthwash users to jump on the Listerine mouthwash band wagon to proper
Alcohol is an ethanol containing substance that is a common beverage in many social and private settings. Alcohol is also a teratogen, therefore alcohol co...
Stout, A., Ritchie, K. & Macpherson, K. (2007). Clinical effectiveness of alcohol-based products in increasing hand hygiene compliance and reducing infection rates: a systematic review. Journal Of Hospital Infection, 66 (4), pp. 308--312.
As long as the hand sanitizer contains at least 60 percent alcohol and is used correctly, then it does not matter which form of hand sanitizer is used. Hand sanitizers kill most, but not all of the bacteria and viruses on contact, but it does not work well when there is grime from cooking or gardening because the grime makes a barrier.
All practicing dentists, dental associates, and laboratories follow standard precautions and recommendations specified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The standard precautions, previously known as the universal standard precautions, focus on the perception that all blood and bodily fluids, regardless if they contain blood, such as saliva, may be contaminated and should be considered infectious. (Bebermeyer). The infection control methods that are practiced in dental offices were established by the CDC in 2003 with Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Healthcare Settings (Kohn). These guidelines include the use of protective barriers, personal protective w...
The main reason why this research is being investigated is because it would benefit scientists researching this material. If scientists could find a way to make certain bacteria grow at a slower or faster rate it could benefit society. If certain types of bad bacteria were growing in your home and scientist knew how to keep that bacteria from spreading quickly it could help people with serious health conditions.