Comparison of Bacterial Contamination in Plastic Bamboo and Charcoal Toothbrushes Used by Children

INTERVENTION: Intervention1: Toothbrush: Participants used three types of toothbrushes sequentially for 14 days each: plastic toothbrush with nylon bristles, bamboo toothbrush with castor oil bristles, and bamboo toothbrush with charcoal bristles. Each participant used one toothbrush type during each study phase after which the used toothbrush was collected for microbiological analysis Intervention2: Bamboo toothbrush with castor oil bristles: Used by each participant for 14 days during Phase 2 After 14 days the toothbrush will be collected in sterile containers containing brain heart infusion transport media and subjected to microbiological analysis for assessment of microbial growth Intervention3: Bamboo toothbrush with charcoal bristles: Used by each participant for 14 days during Phase 3 After 14 days the toothbrush will be collected in sterile containers containing brain heart infusion transport media and subjected to microbiological analysis for assessment of microbial growth Control Intervention1: Plastic toothbrush with nylon bristles: Used by each participant for 14 days during Phase 1 After 14 days the toothbrush will be collected in sterile containers containing brain heart infusion transport media and subjected to microbiological analysis for assessment of microbial growth CONDITION: PRIMARY OUTCOME: Microbial contamination of toothbrushes assessed by presence or absence of bacterial growth and semi quantitative assessment of microbial growthTimepoint: At the end of Phase 1 Day 14 Phase 2 Day 28 and Phase 3 Day 42 after 14 days of use of each toothbrush SECONDARY OUTCOME: Parental knowledge & toothbrush hygiene practices assessed using a prevalidated questionnaireTimepoint: At the end of the study means after Day 42 INCLUSION CRITERIA: Children aged 6 to 11 years systemically healthy having a minimum of 20 natural teeth per arch and a dental caries inde Xscore less than 5