title: Antibacterial action of calcium hydroxide vehicles and calcium hydroxide pastes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the in vitro action of vehicles alone and with calcium hydroxide against different bacterial species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Agar plates were inoculated with the microbial suspensions, and wells were made and filled with the calcium hydroxide pastes and the vehicles used to prepare the pastes. The zones of inhibited bacterial growth were recorded, and the resulting measurements were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enterococcus faecalis was the most resistant microorganism to all medicaments. Calcium hydroxide + p-monochlorophenol; calcium hydroxide + p-monochlorophenol-propylene glycol pastes; and p-monochlorophenol, p-monochlorophenol-propylene glycol, and chlorhexidine gluconate gel alone showed the largest zones of inhibition against all the tested microorganisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vehicle used to prepare the calcium hydroxide paste might contribute to its antibacterial action. Chlorhexidine gluconate gel used alone, and camphorated p-monochlorophenol and camphorated p-monochlorophenol-propylene glycol as vehicles of calcium hydroxide, could be recommended, in an antimicrobial sense.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Gabriela
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pacios
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecilia
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002733:Chlorophenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009824:Ointments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000494:pharmacology; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002733:Chlorophenols; D009824:Ointments; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D002710:Chlorhexidine