Inhibitory activity of root canal irrigants against Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT

The present study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of three root canal irrigants against Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, and Staphylococcus aureus. These microorganisms were incubated in the presence of citric acid (6 and 10 percent), EDTA (17 percent), and NaOCl (0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.25 percent). Agar diffusion tests were performed and redox indicator resazurin was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of the irrigants on the metabolic activity of these microorganisms. The mean diameters of the inhibition zones for the C. albicans cultures were 11.6 mm (17 percent EDTA), 5.5 mm (0.5 percent NaOCl), 12.9 mm (1 percent NaOCl), 22.1 mm (2.5 percent NaOCl), and 28.5 mm (5.25 percent NaOCl). The mean diameters of the inhibition zones for E. faecalis were 2.8 mm (1 percent NaOCl), 5.4 mm (2.5 percent NaOCl), and 8.3 mm (5.25 percent NaOCl). For S. aureus, the mean values were 8.0 mm (17 percent EDTA), 3.0 mm (1 percent NaOCl), 8.8 mm (2.5 percent NaOCl), and 10.0 mm (5.25 percent NaOCl). Most of the irrigant solutions presented effective antimicrobial activity against C. albicans. A high inhibitory effect on the metabolic activity of E. faecalis was detected when the microorganisms were incubated with 17 percent EDTA. The same result was reached when S. aureus was incubated in the presence of > 2.5 percent NaOCl. Altogether, these results indicate that 2.5 percent and 5.25 percent NaOCl are microbicides against S. aureus while 0.5 percent and 1 percent NaOCl are only microbiostatic against the tested bacteria. The 6 percent and 10 percent citric acid as well as 17 percent EDTA did not affect the viability of any of the assayed microorganisms.