Removing bacteria from rough surface titanium discs with chlorhexidine and additional brushing with dentifrice

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microbiology
• Dental Materials

Background:

• Titanium surfaces are susceptible to bacterial adhesion, particularly Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a key pathogen in periodontitis.
• Maintaining the integrity and cleanliness of titanium implants is crucial for successful osseointegration and long-term clinical outcomes.
• Current methods for decontaminating titanium surfaces may require optimization for enhanced bacterial removal efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of chlorhexidine (CHX)-soaked cotton pellets on the surface roughness of resorbable blast material (RBM) titanium.
• To assess the efficacy of CHX pellets in removing P. gingivalis from contaminated RBM titanium surfaces.
• To evaluate the combined effect of CHX pellet treatment and brushing with dentifrice on bacterial removal.

Main Methods:

• In vitro assessment of RBM titanium discs treated with CHX-soaked cotton pellets.
• Confocal microscopy was used to measure changes in titanium surface roughness.
• P. gingivalis adhesion followed by cleaning with CHX pellets and/or brushing with dentifrice.
• Crystal violet assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to quantify bacterial removal.

Main Results:

• CHX treatment for 40 seconds significantly decreased the surface roughness of RBM titanium.
• Cleaning with CHX-soaked pellets led to a significant reduction in adherent P. gingivalis.
• Brushing with dentifrice also reduced bacterial load, with CHX pre-treatment showing a trend towards better results, though not statistically significant compared to brushing alone.

Conclusions:

• Burnishing resorbable blast material (RBM) titanium surfaces with chlorhexidine (CHX)-soaked pellets influences surface topography.
• Both CHX pellet burnishing and brushing with dentifrice are effective in removing P. gingivalis from contaminated titanium.
• The combination of CHX treatment and mechanical brushing offers a promising approach for decontaminating titanium surfaces in a dental context.