Comparison of Antibacterial Effects of Pulp Capping Materials

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the antibacterial effects of six different pulp capping materials on Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria in different time periods. Methods: In our study, the antibacterial effects of TheraCal LC (BISCO Inc., USA), Dycal (Dentsply Tulsa Dental, USA), Biodentine (Septodont, France), Calcimol LC (Voco GmbH, Germany), Activa (Pulpdent Corporation, USA) and MTA Angelus (Angelus, Brazil) were tested against strains of S. mutans (ATCC 25175), L. acidophilus (RSKK 03037) and E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) using the disk diffusion method. Each of the materials was hardened in standard, 5 mm diameter, hollow sterile discs prepared beforehand in line with the manufacturer's recommendations. The materials extracted from the discs were placed in sterile sample containers. The materials placed in the sample containers were disinfected under UV light device for 20 minutes. The materials were placed in petri dishes containing the study isolates that were inoculated into the media at 2.5-3 cm intervals and homogeneously distributed. The same procedures were repeated for each microorganism in 10 separate petri dishes. The inhibition zone diameters around the discs that were left to incubate for 24-48 hours at 37°C were measured in millimeters. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using one-way analysis of variance (One Way ANOVA), Kolmogorov-Smirnow, Levene tests and Bonferroni tests. Results: At the end of the study, the tested materials showed a statistically significant antibacterial effect on all bacterial strains used (p <0.05). MTA Angelus material showed the highest effect on all three bacterial groups compared to other pulp capping materials. Calcimol LC agent had the greatest effect on L. acidophilus, while other agents used in the study showed the greatest effect on S. mutans. The antibacterial effect of all pulp capping materials used in the study was found to be higher at the end of the 48th hour than at the end of the 24th hour, but there was no statistically significant difference (p> 0.05). Conclusion: We think that the antibacterial effect of pulp capping agents against S. mutans L. acidophilus E. faecalis bacteria, which is involved in the formation and development mechanism of caries, will contribute to the preservation of pulp vitality.