Abstract:

Periodontal disease and dental caries are worldwide diseases of high prevalence that, in addition to having a negative impact on the quality of life of those who suffer from them, cause serious systematic complications and high health costs. The dental plaque or dental biofilm is identified as an etiological factor common to both processes. Its proper control easily avoids it. Therefore, it is important that the dentistry student becomes familiar from the beginning of his/her training with the strategies of identification and effective removal of the mentioned plaque.

The general objective of Educational Innovation Project No. 34 awarded for the course 2018/19 by Universidad Complutense de Madrid –Spain- for the subject Prevention and Public Health that we taught has been the following:
1) Raise awareness in the students already from the first year of their degree on the high prevalence of oral diseases.
2) Training in the identification of microbiological components of plaque by means of crops; in the assessment of saliva and in the effective teeth brushing.

Both these points are a fundamental experience for themselves, to divulge in their close environment and as future professionals.

Methodology:
The students who agreed to participate were provided with bibliography and key words to be expanded with their own research and complemented with what they learned in lectures about Oral Microbiota and Effective Brushing Methods. In small groups we headed to the faculty’s Research Laboratory where they learned the necessary work protocols in microbiology. One session, after rinsing with deionized water without brushing and without prior notice to them, the students were taken samples of their own dental plaque with sterile swab in the interproximal area of the canine and first right lower premolar in right-handed students and first left lower premolar in left-handed students. The sample was transported in vial with RTF solution to the laboratory where dilutions were performed for inoculum in Agar-Blood plate and incubation in anaerobiosis at 37ºC with reading after 7 and 15 days. As well, the students assessed with paraffin gum their volume of saliva at both rest and after stimulation. They assessed afterwards their saliva’s pH and buffer capacity. Stimulated saliva was also used for wetting Sides (CRT-bacteria®) for Streptococcus Mutans and Lactobacillus, that were also incubated at 37ºC. To finalize, students received an UltraCompact 0.01 brush provided by Colgate® with which they brushed their teeth. After this, they repeated the whole experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of their brushing.

Results and Conclusions:
Students appreciated diversity of colonies grown from their dental plaque. In 30% of the cases (before the brushing) there were Parvomonas, Pigmented Black, S. mutans. After their brushing a 92% of the students could verify a reduction of colonies in the sample.
All students understood with ease the scientific basis of the experiment and are able to disclose the effective tooth brushing to their family and friends. We therefore consider this experience for students of Ciencias de la Salud (Health Sciences) relevant and useful for their learning

Keywords:

Oral biofilms, oral health, epidemiology, risk factor, periodontal diseases, dental caries, S, mutans, salivary flow, teeth brushing.