Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Accessing the Cytotoxicity and Cell Response to Biomaterials
Published on: July 8, 2021
Toxicity of chlorhexidine on odontoblast-like cells
Fernanda Campos Rosetti Lessa1, Andreza Maria Fabio Aranha, Indri Nogueira
1Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, São Paulo State University, Araraquara Dental School, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
Unlabelled:
Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) is recommended for a number of clinical procedures and it has been pointed out as a potential cavity cleanser to be applied before adhesive restoration of dental cavities.
Objective:
As CHX may diffuse through the dentinal tubules to reach a monolayer of odontoblasts that underlies the dentin substrate, this study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of different concentrations of CHX on cultured odontoblast-like cells (MDPC-23).
Material And Methods:
Cells were cultured and exposed to CHX solutions at concentrations of 0.06%, 0.12%, 0.2%, 1% and 2%. Pure culture medium (alpha-MEM) and 3% hydrogen peroxide were used as negative and positive control, respectively. After exposing the cultured cells to the controls and CHX solutions for 60 s, 2 h or 60 s with a 24-h recovery period, cell metabolism (MTT assay) and total protein concentration were evaluated. Cell morphology was assessed under scanning electron microscopy. CHX had a dose-dependent toxic effect on the MDPC-23 cells.
Results:
Statistically significant difference was observed when the cells were exposed to CHX in all periods (p<0.05). Significant difference was also determined for all CHX concentrations (p<0.05). The 60-s exposure time was the least cytotoxic (p<0.05), while exposure to CHX for 60 s with a 24-h recovery period was the most toxic to the cells (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
Regardless of the exposure time, all CHX concentrations had a high direct cytotoxic effect to cultured MDPC-23 cells.
