Antifungal Effectiveness between Tricalcium Silicate-White Portland Cements Added Bi2O3 and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Against Candida albicans

Abstract

Background Candida albicans is the most dominant fungus found in root canal reinfection cases. This microorganism can withstand extreme pH, low oxygen levels, lack of nutrients, and penetrate the dentinal tubules so that it can resist the intracanal medicament. Root canal cement helps prevent microorganisms and causing root canal reinfection. MTA is one of the root canals cement which is widely used and has an excellent antifungal activity, but it is less beneficial economically. Tricalcium silicate-white Portland cement (WPC) has a similar main composition as MTA, except there is no Bi 2 O 3 content that functions as a radiopacifier. Objectives: To fabricate a mixture of tricalcium silicate-WPC with Bi 2 O 3 through a simple solution method and investigate antifungal activity's effectiveness between tricalcium silicate-WPC added Bi 2 O 3 and MTA to C. albicans. Materials and Methods: The 80 g of tricalcium silicate-WPC was mixed with 20 g of Bi 2 O 3 through the simple solution method using 99.9% isopropanol as a solution. This sample solution is stirred until homogeneous, then centrifuged. The precipitate was dried until a dry powder was obtained. The powder was analyzed using X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry to identify its chemical composition and concentration. A total of 30 samples were divided into two experimental groups of tricalcium silicate-WPC added Bi 2 O 3 and ProRoot MTA. The vials, which contain cement and C. albicans, respectively, were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and diluted to obtain a suspension 10 4 , 10 6 (0.5 in McFarland's nephelometer) and then inoculated with sterile cotton swabs onto Saboroud Dextrose Agar Plates. The plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. The measurement of colony number of C. albicans was counted by colony counter (CFU/ml). Results: The Bi 2 O 3 was revealed in tricalcium silicate-WPC based on XRF characterization, and the antifungal test showed that both materials were effective against C. albicans. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of C. albicans colonies between tricalcium-WPC added Bi 2 O 3 and MTA (p>0.05). Conclusion: The mixture of Bi 2 O 3 in tricalcium silicate-WPC was successfully fabricated through a simple solution method, and both samples were effective against the C. albicans.