Investigating the antimicrobial activity of different root canal filling pastes in deciduous teeth

Abstract

Background: The antiseptic property of root canal filling materials is very important for the removal of residual pathogens from root canals. The aim of the current study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), calcium hydroxide (CH), Metapex, zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE), and CEM-cement. Materials and methods: Four standard bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) were used. On five plates containing Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar, five cavities were made. Then, the plates were cultured by 0.1 mL of bacterial suspension with a concentration of 0.5 McFarland. Afterwards, the cavities were filled with the tested materials and were incubated at 37C for 24, 48, and 72 hrs. Diameters of microbial inhibition zones were then measured. Results: The highest mean diameter of growth inhibition zones was observed around ZOE and then CH and CEM-cement. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, there was a significant difference among the tested groups (P<0.041). Conclusion: Considering antimicrobial activity, CH was an acceptable alternative to ZOE.