title: The antimicrobial effect of calcium hydroxide in root canals pretreated with 5% iodine potassium iodide.
abstract: Calcium hydroxide (CH) is often used as a routine interappointment dressing during the endodontic treatment of teeth with apical periodontitis. However, it fails to consistently produce sterile root canals. The present study was set up to find out whether an antimicrobial strategy including the use of CH could be made more effective if: 1) canals were pretreated with 5% iodine potassium iodide (IPI), and 2) the dressing period was extended up to 2 months. Fifty human teeth, with radiographically verified apical periodontitis, were microbiologically sampled. After chemomechanical preparation the canals were pretreated with IPI for 3-7 days. Teeth where microorganisms persisted were then treated with CH for 2 months. Following instrumentation and dressing with IPI, 43 bacterial strains were recovered in 22 of the teeth. Samples obtained after the CH dressing period disclosed growth of 13 facultative and two strict anaerobic strains in 10 teeth. Enterococcus faecalis was identified in two specimens. In conclusion, the present study gave no evidence for an increased antimicrobial effect of CH if it was left for longer periods in the root canal. Although pretreatment with IPI from a quantitative point of view did not seem to add antimicrobial power, it might reduce the frequency of persisting strains of E. faecalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontology/Oral Diagnosis, Faculty of Odontology, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molander
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reit
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dahlén
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007454:Iodides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D011193:Potassium Iodide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D007454:Iodides; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; C010389:Lugol's solution