Talk Program on Microbiology and Oral Health

 A Talk program was held in CEDA hall of Tribhuvan University under the chairperson of Dr. Sushil Koirala and in the presence of chief guest Dr. Pramod Arayal and Alenka Mam. The primary objective of this talk program was to enhance the collaborative work in microbiology with particular focus on oral microbiology and oral health.

 

Prevalence of dental caries and the impact of toothpastes and other factors in the oral health of School Children in Kathmandu valley

Present study was carried out among school children of Kathmandu valley to determine the prevalence of dental caries and to know about the influence of other factors including toothpaste on their oral health. Study age group was 5-6 years and 12-13 years. This study also specifies the correlation between dental caries and other associated risk factors among the school children. Furthermore this study evaluates the antimicrobial efficacy of locally used toothpaste against primary and secondary infections causing dental pathogens. The study was conducted from December 2007 to May 2008. Altogether 638 students (325 of age group 12-13 years and 313 of age group 5-6 years) from 30 different schools of Kathmandu valley were included for the study. Stratified cluster sampling with proportional allocation was used while drawing schools samples. Dental status examination was done with the help of trained and well calibrated dentists. DMFT and DMFS were used as standard tools for the determination of prevalence. Semi closed structured questionnaire were applied to know their oral health knowledge, belief, attitudes, perception and to study the influence of underlying factors on oral hygiene only  for 325 students of age group 12-13 years. For isolation and identification of dental pathogens, 39 different samples from 39 patients were collected from Bir Hospital Dental Department and Samaj Dental Clinic and were immediately transported to RLABB, where laboratory work was carried out. They were isolated, identified and subjected to antimicrobial potential test of toothpaste by using standard microbiological methods. Both DMFT, DMFS and caries percentage was found to be higher in age group 5-6 years than 12-13 years. DMFS and caries percentage of age group 5-6 years and 12-13 years was found to be 3.79, 69% and 1.6, 53.23% respectively. But no significance difference at p<0.001 was observed among male and female of both age group. Strong correlation was found in dental caries status and type of schools, diet, and toothpaste using habit. Out of 25 toothpastes used only 7 toothpastes showed observable antimicrobial activity against all 4 test microorganisms viz... Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, Lactobacilli species and Candida albicans.

     

 Key words: School children, prevalence, Kathmandu valley, dental caries, dental pathogens, toothpaste, antimicrobial potential.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project was carried out jointly by students of Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University (CDM-TU) and Nepal Dental Association (NDA). Thus we are grateful towards all concern faculties and staffs of CDM-TU for their co-operation, guidance and NDA for providing us technical as well as financial support. The laboratory work was carried out in Research Laboratory for Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (RLABB), Maitidevi, Kathmandu, thus we are also thankful towards RLABB family. We are genuinely obliged to our honorable supervisors Prof. Dr. V.P. Agrawal, Associate Prof. Dr. Anjana Singh, Mr. Kiran Babu Tiwari and Mr. Upendra Thapa Shrestha for their valuable suggestions, enthusiastic and encouraging advices. Also we want to extend our gratitude towards Dental Department of Bir Hospital and Samaj Dental Clinic for providing samples.

Noteworthy to this we are greatly indebted to senior statistician Mr. Anil Thapa for his help during statistical analysis and Mr. Surendra Jnawali for his assistance in software development and data entry. Also we want to show our sincere gratitude towards Dr. Sushil Koirala, President Nepal dental association, Dr. Sudin Shakya, co-ordinator Research and Social Service Committee, Joint Secretary Nepal Dental Association and all members of NDA for their constant stimulation and support. We want to express our thankfulness towards Mr. Kul Raj Rai, President, Microbiological Student Association Nepal (MISAN) and all students of CDM-TU for their support and help. Besides this we are gratified to all dentists, enumerators, school family, students and others who have helped us during field work. Furthermore we are also thankful towards our family and friends for their assist, continuous moral support and motivation.

At last we would like to acknowledge all concerned person, institution and organization that helped us during research work directly or indirectly, without their support the successful completion of this project was never possible. 

 

Antibacterial activities of locally used toothpastes against dental pathogens

KB Tiwari, UT Shrestha, A Acharya, B Subedi, B Paudyal, M. Jnawali, P. Shakya, U KC, VP Agrawal

Abstract

Background: Toothpastes need to contain various antimicrobial agents in order to reduce, control and prevent different kinds of dental diseases. Different brands have their own composition and concentration of ingredients for their efficacy. The consumers should aware about the facts associated with their health.

Methods: The bacterial pathogens were isolated and identified from various dental samples. Antibacterial activities of 11 different toothpastes available locally in markets were assessed against the isolates by standard agar well diffusion method.

Result: Monomicrobial infections were observed in all cases. The bacterial pathogens were found to be Streptococcus mutans, S. salivarius, S. sanguis, S. sobrinus and S. mitis. Of the assayed toothpastes- Colgate Total, Colgate, Anchor White and Pepsodont were found to be highly effective against the pathogens.

Conclusion: The result showed that the toothpastes containing Triclosan as a major chemical ingredient posses significant antibacterial activities.

Keywords: Streptococcus, Triclosan, Zone-of-inhibition

Journal of Institute of Medicine, August, 2008; 30:2 15-18

Formation of MiRON

How MiRON was formed

After completion of our bachelor degree in microbiology we (Amrit Acharya, Bandana Subedi, Basudev Paudyal, Madhav Jnawali, Prabin Shakya, Upama K. C., Founder Executive Member of MiRON) all have been to the central department of microbiology, Tribhuvan University in Jan 2007 to pursue our master degree. As others we also had the some sort of anticipation and motives to do something in our field. After studying 2 more months in CDM-TU we came to know the importance of research in the field of microbiology and we decided to ponder in this. In the beginning we all were vacant and had no idea at all what to do and how to proceed. Some days later we decided to explore the antimicrobial potential of different toothpastes. Different advertisement seen in media about potential efficacies of toothpastes has engrossed us to choose this as our subject matter. Selection of topic was done after consulting our seniors and we moved here and there for the laboratory work. Finally on the reference of Mr. Kiran Babu Tiwari (Research Scientist RLABB) we meet with Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Prasad Agrawal (Executive Director, Research Laboratory for Biotechnology and Biochemistry, RLABB). Meeting with these two cherished superior people we were really encouraged and our proposed project got shape and we started work under the supervision of honorable Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Prasad Agrawal, Mr. Kiran Babu Tiwari and Mr. Upendra Thapa Shrestha. Then we successfully completed the research work entitled ‘The Assessment of Antimicrobial Potential of Different Toothpastes against Oral Isolates’, in research laboratory for biotechnology and biochemistry (RLABB) from May 2007-July 2007. 

Later Dr. Sushil Koirala (President Nepal Dental Association, NDA 2006-2008) under his continuous stimulation, motivation and Dr. Anjana Singh (Associate Professor, Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University) guidance, lunch a project on oral health etitled “ Prevalence of Dental Caries, Impact of the Toothpaste and Other Factors on the Oral Health of the School Children of Kathmandu valley” from Dec 2007 - May 2008. The entitled project was under the collaboration of central department of microbiology, Tribhuvan University (CDM-TU) and Nepal Dental Association (NDA). After working together more than one year in research field, we sense to make a strong unity among us and make a definite goal along with long term perspective in the authorized way. Thus we organized and registered in the district administration office of Kathmandu in 27th May, 2008 and social welfare council (SWC) in 3rd June 2008 as microbiological research organization Nepal (MiRON). MiRON is a non government, non political and non profit making scientific research organization and has objectives to conduct research in related field. MiRON is delighted to be first such research organization in the field of microbiology in Nepal. Now MiRON is moving along with various research projects by working together with various institutions, organizations, research centers, various hospitals, colleges and colleagues as well. Please don’t hesitate to comment us .MiRON is grateful to you showing your interest to know about us.

Microbiological Research Organization Nepal (MiRON)

MiRON Logo

MiRON is a scientific non government non profit research organization having sole objectives to conduct research in the relevant field, aware people based on research finding and publication of these finding so as to click the mind of concerned authorities. We all know the development of nation is solely assessed by the advancement of the scientific technology and progress made in this field so far. Microbiology a multidimensional, emerging filed thus we desired to contribute our nation via researches in this filed.