title: Comparative study of the antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine gel, chlorhexidine solution and sodium hypochlorite as endodontic irrigants.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro the antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine gluconate gel as an endodontic auxiliary chemical substance compared to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine gluconate solution. The antimicrobial efficacy of the tested substances was evaluated using the agar diffusion test. The growth inhibition zones produced by 0.2%, 1% and 2% chlorhexidine gel were evaluated against 5 facultative anaerobic bacteria and 4 pigmented Gram-negative anaerobes, and compared to the results obtained by NaOCl and chlorhexidine solution. The largest growth inhibition zones were produced when the test bacteria were in contact with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate gel (11.79 mm), being significantly different (p<0.05) from the growth inhibition zones produced by all NaOCl concentrations, including 5.25% (9.54 mm). However, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between the growth inhibition zones obtained with equal concentrations of chlorhexidine solution and gel. The results of this study indicate that, as far as its antimicrobial properties are concerned, chlorhexidine gel has a great potential to be used as an endodontic auxiliary chemical substance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. cferraz@fop.unicamp.br
authors.forename: Caio C R
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: Brenda P F A
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Alexandre A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zaia
authors.forename: Fabrício B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Souza-Filho
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000187:drug effects; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D019551:Dental Disinfectants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D045202:Porphyromonas endodontalis / Q000187:drug effects; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000187:drug effects; D018720:Prevotella / Q000187:drug effects; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000187:drug effects; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012996:Solutions; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000187:drug effects; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019551:Dental Disinfectants; D005782:Gels; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D012996:Solutions; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine