Comparative efficacy of endodontic medicaments and sodium hypochlorite against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms

Many studies have investigated the effectiveness of root canal irrigants and medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of commonly used medicaments against E. faecalis cultured as a biofilm on dentine substrate.

An E. faecalis biofilm was established on human dentine slices using a continuous flow cell. Each test medicament (Ledermix, Ca(OH)₂ , Odontopaste, 0.2% chlorhexidine and 50:50 combinations of Ledermix/Ca(OH)₂ and Odontopaste/Ca(OH)₂ ) was introduced into the flow cell and biofilms were harvested and quantitated by determining cellular protein. Cellular viability was determined using serial plating and the number of colony-forming units was normalized against cellular protein to allow treatment protocols to be compared. Qualitative scanning electron microscopy analyses of the biofilm were performed after a 48-h exposure to each test agent.

Sodium hypochlorite achieved total bacterial elimination. Ledermix and Odontopaste had no significant effect on the E. faecalis biofilm. Ca(OH)₂ and 50:50 combinations of Ca(OH)₂ /Ledermix or Ca(OH)₂ /Odontopaste reduced the viability by more than 99% while 0.2% chlorhexidine reduced bacterial numbers by 97%.

Sodium hypochlorite remains the gold standard for bacterial elimination in root canal therapy. However, Ca(OH)₂ in isolation and combined with Ledermix, and Odontopaste was highly effective in reducing bacterial viability.