Antimicrobial effects of various andodontics irrigants.

Objective: the objective of the present study was the in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial effects of various endodontic irrigants: hydrogen peroxide (12 and 24 Vol, respectively), chlorexidine gluconate 0,2% (Cetrexidin and Cloreximid, sodium hypoclorite 5,25% (Niclor 5), and EDTA (EDTA 17% and Tubuliclean).

Methods: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus faecalis strains were selected to evaluate the inibitory activity of the choosen endodontic irrigants by the agar disc diffusion test. Paper disks were soaked with each one of the test solutions and placed onto culture agar-plates pre-adsorbed with bacterial cells and further incubated for 24 h at 37°C. The inhibition zones of the bacterial growth around each endodontic irrigant were recorded and compared for each bacterial strain.

Results: the results were significantly different among the tested endodontic irrigants. In particular, hydrogen peroxide (both 24 and 12 Vol) and sodium hypoclorite produced the highest zones of inhibition whereas chlorexidine gluconate and EDTA showed the lowest zones of inhibition.

Significance: hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypoclorite seem to be the most effective of the tested endodontic irrigants for the inhibition of the bacterial growth.