Antibacterial Activity of Colgate Total Toothpaste Against Common Mouth Bacteria

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent found in common over-the-counter cosmetic products. This thesis investigates the antibacterial properties of triclosan using .3% triclosan toothpaste. One hypotheses was tested: (1) Colgate Total toothpaste that contains triclosan will show more antibacterial properties than regular Colgate toothpaste. Multiple methods were employed to test the hypothesis. These methods included: Kirby Bauer test, selective media, Gram staining, broth dilution, and stab culture inoculation. Due to limited time and significant technical challenges no conclusive data was found. However, continuing with this investigation, examining the effects of Colgate Total versus regular Colgate over a longer period of time would, hopefully, allow more evidence comparing the two toothpastes to be able to determine the efficiency of the triclosan in the toothpaste