title: The in vitro Effect of Irrigants with Low Surface Tension on Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the complex anatomy of the root canal system and high surface tension of common root canal irrigants (RCI), conducting an investigation on RCIs containing surfactants is a priority. The aim of this in vitro study was to verify the antibacterial potential of RCI with low surface tension in root canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five extracted human maxillary anterior teeth were prepared and inoculated with E. faecalis for 60 days. After root canal preparation, the teeth were randomly divided to one positive and one negative control groups and 5 experimental groups: Hypoclean/Tetraclean NA, Hypoclean, Tetraclean, NaOCl/Tetraclean and NaOCl. Bacterial growth was observed by turbidity of culture medium and then measured using a UV spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed in three time intervals (pre-instrumentation and, 20 min and 72 h after canal preparation) using the ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's tests. The level of significance was set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated the presence of E. faecalis in all post-irrigation samples irrespective of the RCI. However, the optical densities in both post-irrigation periods showed bacterial reduction and significant differences between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RCI with low surface tension showed antibacterial potential in E. faecalis infected roots.
authors.affiliation: Researcher, Crotone, Italy;
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatological Sciences, Dental School, UFG-Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil;
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Estrela
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Chirurgico, Medico, Odontoiatrico e di Scienze Morfologiche con Interesse Trapiantologico, Oncologico e di Medicina Rigenerativa, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy;
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Generali
authors.affiliation: Iranian Center for Endodontic Research (ICER), Research Institute of Dental Sciences, Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahed
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Iranian Center for Endodontic Research (ICER), Research Institute of Dental Sciences, Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asgary
keywords: Enterococcus faecalis; Hypoclean; Sodium Hypochlorite; Tetraclean