title: A comparative evaluation of antibacterial effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite, Curcuma longa, and Camellia sinensis as irrigating solutions on isolated anaerobic bacteria from infected primary teeth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In endodontics, most of the commercial intra-canal medicaments have cytotoxic reactions and because of their inability to eliminate bacteria from dentinal tubules, recent medicine has turned its attention to the usage of biologic medication prepared from natural plants. The literature to testify the efficacy of natural alternatives in primary teeth is meagre and its effects as irrigating solutions need to be evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antibacterial effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite, ethanolic extracts of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and Camellia sinensis (green tea) as irrigating solutions against the anaerobic bacteria isolated from the root canals of infected primary teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients were selected based on the selected inclusion and exclusion criteria. Preoperative radiographs were taken. Rubber dam isolation and working length estimation were done, following which thirty samples were taken from the root canals of infected primary teeth using sterile absorbent paper points and transferred to tubes containing thioglycolate transport medium. The bacteria were then isolated using standard microbiological protocols and were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing using the three test irrigants.
  
  
  METHODS
  SPSS 18 software using Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most commonly isolated bacteria included Porphyromonas sp., Bacteroides fragilis, Peptostreptococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus. Sodium hypochlorite and C. longa (turmeric) showed good antibacterial effect and were effective against most of the isolated bacteria. There was statistically significant difference in the antibacterial effect among the three tested groups (P < 0.001). The least effective was C. sinensis (green tea).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The infected primary teeth almost always present with a polymicrobial structure with a wide variety of anaerobic bacteria. The chemo-mechanical preparation plays an important role in eradicating the population of predominant micro-organisms in treating these teeth with promising effects with the use of newer test irrigants while avoiding the side effects of sodium hypochlorite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE University, Belagavi, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Neha Shashikant
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dhariwal
authors.forename: Shivayogi M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hugar
authors.forename: Sheetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harakuni
authors.forename: Suma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sogi
authors.forename: Harsha G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Assudani
authors.forename: Laresh Naresh
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Mistry
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000187:drug effects*; D028241:Camellia sinensis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D030024:Curcuma; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite