Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficiency of 2% and 5.25% sodium hypochlorite NaOCl, 2% chlorhexidine CHX and 17% EDTA solution against specific Enterococcus faecalis cultures by direct contact with the cultures seeded on two different culture media. Material and methods. Two plates with culture media, Columbia Blood Agar and MacConkey Agar, were seeded with a strain of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and sterile papers impregnated with the above mentioned irrigants were placed on the plates, five papers each. The Agar plates were incubated in aerobic environment at a temperature of 37 °C and after 24 hours, the size of the growth inhibition zone around each impregnated paper was evaluated. Results. According to the observations of the present study, from of all the tested endodontic irrigants, the most effective are CHX 2% and 5.25% NaOCl, followed by 17% EDTA and 2% NaOCl. Conclusions. On both culture media, the effects of irrigating solutions on the E. faecalis strain were the same.

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