ABSTRACT

 The study was aimed at isolating and identifying bacteria associated with tooth infection among people living in Umuariaga, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The research was a cross sectional study involving people which cut across the ages of 11 to 70 years. The study was carried out at Linnc Medical Laboratory, Amaoba, Abia State, Nigeria. A total of twenty (20) samples were collected from persons who gave consent to be included in the study. Swabs were collected using swab sticks by swabbing across the teeth, gingival and sub-gingival regions as well as from the roof and floor of the buccal cavity, and these swabs were inoculated on basal salt medium containing yeast and were identified biochemically according to Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. The total bacteria count ranged from 3.0x106to 8.3x106respectively. A total of 38 isolates were identified which included five (5) bacteria species. The bacteria species include Staphylococcus aureus (13), Pseudomonas spp (4), Streptococcus spp (11), Klebsiella spp (7), and Staphylococcus epidennidis (3). Staphylococcus aureus was predominantly isolated with a percentage of 34%, followed by Streptococcus species (29%), Kiebsiella species (18%), Pseudomonas species (11%) while the least isolated was Staphylococcus epidermidis with an isolation frequency of 8%. It was concluded that the microbial isolates found in the oral cavity of the persons in this study have sufficient pathogenic potential to induce tooth infection which suggests the need for good oral hygiene practices. Regular and proper brushing of teeth with flouride tooth paste and daily flossing was recommended for reduction of proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity.