To Investigate the Bacteria found on Children's Mouthguard

In contact sports, oral devices help prevent serious injury to the mouth. While they prevent injuries, they are prone to environmental contamination. In this study, I have focused on isolating the most commonly occurring bacteria present on children’s mouthguards, cases, and the oral cavity prior to their usage. I have hypothesis that bacteria isolated on the mouthguard and respective cases have possibly been acquired from the external environment due to improper storage. Furthermore, key criteria such as biofilm activity, surface roughness, SEM and water activity were studied to understand their attachment on mouthguard surface. Finally, I have focused on different cleaning techniques to suggest an effective way to minimize bacterial attachment.