Reduction of viable Enterococcus faecalis in human radicular dentin treated with 1% cetrimide and conventional intracanal medicaments

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability of E. faecalis after a 14‐day exposure to 1% cetrimide ( CET ), triantibiotic paste (i.e., metronidazole, minocycline, and ciprofloxacin), 2% chlorhexidine ( CHX ) gel, and calcium hydroxide (Ca[ OH ] 2 ) in an infected dentine model. Materials and methods A total of 75 roots of extracted uniradicular human teeth were chemomechanically prepared, sterilized, and infected for 21 days with E. faecalis . Samples were divided into five groups ( n = 15) to apply intracanal medicaments, namely saline solution (negative control), 1% CET , triantibiotic paste ( TRIA ), 2% CHX gel, and Ca( OH ) 2 during 14 days. Dentine samples were collected and stained with the SYTO 9/propidium iodide technique (Live/Dead, Bacligth, Invitrogen, Eugene, OR , USA ) for fluorescence microscopy to obtain the percentage of viable cells. Statistical analysis was performed using one‐way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test ( P < 0.05). Results All experimental agents significantly reduced the percentage of viable E. faecalis when compared with the control group. In addition, the least cytotoxic medicament was Ca( OH ) 2 followed by CHX . There was no significant difference between 1% CET and TRIA ( P = 0.98). Conclusion Both 1% CET and TRIA significantly reduced the viability of E. faecalis in dentine of extracted teeth in comparison with 2% CHX gel and calcium hydroxide paste. Further laboratory and clinical investigations should be carried out to validate findings of the beneficial use of 1% CET as an intracanal medicament against E. faecalis .