Effect of initial irrigation with sodium hypochlorite on residual antibacterial activity of tetraclean

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of dentin pretreatment with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on the antibacterial substantivity of Tetraclean in bovine root dentin in vitro. One hundred and forty dentin tubes prepared from bovine incisor teeth were infected with Enterococcus faecalis for 14 days. The specimens were divided into five groups as follows: Tetraclean; 5.25% NaOCl/Tetraclean; 2% chlorhexidine (CHX); infected dentin tubes (positive control); and sterile dentin tubes (negative control). Round burs were used to collect dentin chips into tryptic soy broth. After culturing, the number of colony-forming units (CFU) was counted. In all experimental groups, the number of CFU was minimal in the first cultures. And the results obtained were significantly different from each other at any time period (p < 0.05). The Tetraclean group showed the most effective antibacterial action at all five experimental periods (p < 0.05). The NaOCl/Tetraclean group showed lesser antibacterial substantivity than Tetraclean at all time periods (p< 0.05). The chlorhexidine group showed the least antibacterial activity at all time periods. In conclusion, the residual antibacterial activity of Tetraclean was significantly decreased in dentin samples pretreated with NaOCl.