title: Antibacterial activity, fluoride release, and physical properties of an antibiotic-modified glass ionomer cement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study's purpose was to examine the influence of adding an antibiotic mixture to conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) on its antibacterial activity, fluoride-releasing ability, and physical properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  An antibiotic mixture containing ciprofloxacin and metronidazole was added to GIC at concentration ratios of one percent weight antibiotic/weight total powder before mixing (w/w; Group 1) and two percent w/w (Group 2) to obtain the test groups. Conventional GIC served as the control. The antibacterial activity of the cement specimens was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei using the agar inhibition test. The fluoride release from the cement specimens was evaluated using a fluoride ion selective electrode. The physical parameters evaluated were net setting time, compressive strength, shear bond strength, and microleakage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 2 showed a significantly greater inhibition zone than Group 1 against both tested organisms, while the control did not inhibit organism growth. The addition of antibiotics at one percent and two percent to GIC enhanced its fluoride release. At two percent, however, the physical properties of GIC were adversely affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antibiotics at one percent weight solute/weight total solution after mixing may modestly confer an antibacterial activity to glass ionomer cement and enhance its fluoride-releasing ability. Its effects on shear bond strength and microleakage were found to be encouraging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere, Karnataka, India. attiguppeprabhakar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prahlad
authors.forename: S Ravi
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005459:Fluorides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007780:Lacticaseibacillus casei / Q000187:drug effects*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D033081:Shear Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D008795:Metronidazole; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D005459:Fluorides