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Assessing the Effectiveness of Herbal Intracanal Irrigants in Deciduous Molars: A Systematic Review
Mithula Raj1, Deepa Gurunathan1, Mahesh Ramakrishnan2
1Department of Pedodontics, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, SIMATS Deemed University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Aims And Background:
Pulpectomy, a crucial procedure in pediatric endodontics, involves the complete removal of infected pulp tissue and serves as a standard intervention for addressing pulp pathologies. The success of pulpectomy hinges not only on the meticulous debridement and disinfection of the root canal system but also on the judicious selection of intracanal irrigants employed during the procedure. Traditional endodontic irrigants have predominantly featured synthetic chemicals. This departure from synthetic agents to herbal irrigants is motivated by apprehensions regarding potential side effects and the environmental impact associated with conventional chemical agents. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of herbal intracanal irrigants compared to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) when used in pulpectomy of primary molars.
Methods:
The review's procedure was prepared in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis 2020 Statement. A thorough search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS was done for articles published between January, 2011 and June, 2024 (14 years) in order to identify all peer-reviewed research pertinent to the review's question. Only those articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Literature abstracts and full-text articles were analyzed in this review. A total of three articles that adhered to the eligibility requirements were ultimately chosen for inclusion. All were randomized clinical trials that evaluated the clinical and radiographic success or outcomes of herbal medicine.
Results:
The overall clinical and radiographic outcomes were not significantly different in all the studies. All the included studies recorded high risk of bias.
Conclusion:
The review concluded that herbal extracts can be considered as effective as their chemical counterparts, with the added advantage of potentially fewer side effects.
Clinical Significance:
The efficacy of herbal irrigants in pediatric pulpectomy is comparable to that of NaOCl, with the potential advantages of increased patient acceptance, safety, and biocompatibility.
How To Cite This Article:
Raj M, Gurunathan D, Ramakrishnan M, et al. Assessing the Effectiveness of Herbal Intracanal Irrigants in Deciduous Molars: A Systematic Review. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2026;19(4):507-515.
