Electrophoretic Efficiency of an Ionic Toothbrush

¹National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
²Medical Faculty, Department for Dental Diseases Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Absrtract
The eventual electrophoretic effects during application of an ionic toothbrush are examined. Firstly, the electrical conditions to which the teeth are exposed during application of the ionic tootbrush are determined. Secondly, a method for monitoring the change of bacteria number density on the surface of extracted teeth under the influence of external electric field is presented. After a regular application of the ionic toothbrush this change is detectable, but - from the practical point - negligibly small. The study does not preclude other possible effects of the ionic toothbrush (e.g. electrolysis on teeth surface).

Keywords: ionic toothbrush, electrophoresis, iontophoresis, Staphylococcus aureus