title: Antimicrobial effects of root canal medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the antimicrobial activities of Activ Point (Roeko, Langenau, Germany), Calcium Hydroxide Plus Point (Roeko, Langenau, Germany), calcium hydroxide, 1% chlorhexidine gel and bioactive glass (S53P4) against Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus mutans.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty extracted single-rooted human teeth were used. After removing the crowns, root canals were prepared by using the Protaper rotary system. Following autoclave sterilization, root canals were incubated at 37 °C with E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and S. mutans RSHM 676 for 1 week. The specimens, which were divided into five treatment groups for each microorganism according to the intracanal medicament used, were tested in 10 experimental runs. In each experimental run, 10 roots were included as treatment, one root as positive control and one root as sterility control. Sterile paper points were utilized to take samples from root canals after the incubation of teeth in thioglycollate medium at 37 °C for 1 week. Samples taken from teeth by sterile paper points were inoculated onto sheep blood agar, and following an overnight incubation, the colonies grown on sheep blood agar were counted and interpreted as colony-forming units. Results were tested statistically by using Kruskal-Wallis and Conover's nonparametric multiple comparison tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CHX gel (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001), Activ Point (P = 0.003 and P = 0.002) and Ca(OH)₂ (P = 0.010 and P = 0.005) were significantly more effective against E. faecalis than that of Ca(OH)₂ Plus Point and bioactive glass, respectively. On the other hand, compared with Ca(OH)₂ , CHX gel (P < 0.001), and Activ Point (P < 0.001), bioactive glass (P = 0.014) produced significantly lower colony counts of S. mutans. When compared with the positive control, treatment with Ca(OH)₂ Plus Point (P = 0.085 and P = 0.066) did not produce significantly lower colony counts of E. faecalis and S. mutans, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with the medicaments having an antimicrobial effect because of their alkaline pH, the medicaments containing chlorhexidine were effective against both E. faecalis and S. mutans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. burcu.atila@gmail.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Atila-Pektaş
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yurdakul
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gülmez
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Görduysus
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D003804:Dentin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008422:Materials Testing; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; C403922:bioactive glass S53P4; D006171:Gutta-Percha; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D002710:Chlorhexidine