Evaluation of the use of ultrasound within a power toothbrush to dislodge oral bacteria using an in vitro Streptococcus mutans biofilm model.

Purpose: To investigate in vitro the use of ultrasound in a power toothbrush to aid in the removal of dental plaque biofilm without bristle contact.

Methods: Dental plaque was modeled using Streptococcus mutans biofilm adherent to hydroxyapatite disks. Treatment arms included positive and negative controls, disks with and without biofilm, respectively.

A marker of growth differs between adolescents with high vs. low sugar preference.

Sweet preference is higher in childhood than adulthood but the mechanism for this developmental shift is not known. The objective of this study was to assess perceptual, physiological and eating habit differences between children preferring solutions high in sugar (high preference) and children preferring solutions low in sugar (low preference). We tested 143 children (11- to 15-years old) using sip and spit methodology to assess their hedonic profile, detection threshold, and perceived intensity of sucrose.