Toothbrush: Difference between revisions
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A toothbrush does not contain nutrients, so bacteria do not multiply. In fact the | A toothbrush does not contain nutrients, so bacteria do not multiply. In fact, individuals harboring the bacteria can transfer them to toothbrushes. Due to active brushing bacteria is always present on the toothbrush. Since most people brush at least twice a day, the bacteria population will never die, but rather be replenished each time the toothbrush comes in contact with the mouth again. In fact, right after the toothbrush is put away after use, the transferred bacteria can survive up to 6 hours of air drying on the toothbrush [K. Kozai]. | ||
===Influence by Adjacent Communities (if any)=== | ===Influence by Adjacent Communities (if any)=== | ||
Revision as of 00:25, 26 August 2008
This template is a general guideline of how to design your site. You are not restricted to this format, so feel free to make changes to the headings and subheadings and to add additional sections as appropriate.
Description of Niche
Where located?
Physical Conditions?
What are the conditions in your niche? Temperature, pressure, pH, moisture, etc.
Toothbrushes are most commonly found in a bathroom. A new toothbrush itself is not typically inhabited by bacteria and fungi. But the act of brushing one’s teeth will introduce the toothbrush into the mouth and teeth, which are environments hospitable to many kinds of microbes. Because the toothbrush will come in contact with these environments, the bacteria will transfer from the inside of the mouth to the toothbrush. In this way, the toothbrush is considered a niche for many microbes.
A toothbrush does not contain nutrients, so bacteria do not multiply. In fact, individuals harboring the bacteria can transfer them to toothbrushes. Due to active brushing bacteria is always present on the toothbrush. Since most people brush at least twice a day, the bacteria population will never die, but rather be replenished each time the toothbrush comes in contact with the mouth again. In fact, right after the toothbrush is put away after use, the transferred bacteria can survive up to 6 hours of air drying on the toothbrush [K. Kozai].
Influence by Adjacent Communities (if any)
Is your niche close to another niche or influenced by another community of organisms?
Microbes that inhabit a toothbrush must come from somewhere. Some toothbrushes are already slightly infected because it is not regulation that toothbrushes be sold in a sterile package [Glass RT, Lare MM]. But lots of bacteria on the toothbrush can be transferred from just the mouth. The contact of the toothbrush in an oral cavity will Microbes can also transfer from toothbrush to toothbrush through physical contact. In a typical household, toothbrushes are placed together in a holder. Each person’s mouth, depending on his condition, may harbor other microbes that cause diseases such as gingivitis. As mentioned before, bacteria are transferred onto the toothbrush from brushing, so if the toothbrushes in the holder come into contact with one another, the bacteria and fungus from one person’s toothbrush will transfer to the next person’s toothbrush.
Conditions under which the environment changes
Do any of the physical conditions change? Are there chemicals, other organisms, nutrients, etc. that might change the community of your niche.
Who lives there?
Which microbes are present?
You may refer to organisms by genus or by genus and species, depending upon how detailed the your information might be. If there is already a microbewiki page describing that organism, make a link to it.
Are there any other non-microbes present?
Plants? Animals? Fungi? etc.
Do the microbes that are present interact with each other?
Describe any negative (competition) or positive (symbiosis) behavior
Do the microbes change their environment?
Do they alter pH, attach to surfaces, secrete anything, etc. etc.
Do the microbes carry out any metabolism that affects their environment?
Do they ferment sugars to produce acid, break down large molecules, fix nitrogen, etc. etc.
Current Research
Enter summaries of the most recent research. You may find it more appropriate to include this as a subsection under several of your other sections rather than separately here at the end. You should include at least FOUR topics of research and summarize each in terms of the question being asked, the results so far, and the topics for future study. (more will be expected from larger groups than from smaller groups)
References
Edited by [James Lin, Natalie Nguyen, Nicholas Phung, Sarah Fernandes], students of Rachel Larsen
