Quantitative evaluation of the influence of dequalinium acetate and sodium hypochlorite on human dentition

The effect of 5 percent DA, 2.5 percent and 5.5 percent sodium hypochlorite, and saline on the solubility of organic matrix of the dentin was studied on extracted human teeth. The results showed that sodium hypochlorite dissolved collagen from the canal walls, while DA did not dissolve any collagen into the media. It is concluded that the root-canal-cleansing effect of DA is achieved by another mechanism, most likely by surface activity.