Lipopeptide biosurfactant as a potential root canal irrigation agent: Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm evaluation

OBJECTIVES

Lipopeptide Biosurfactant (LB) is a bacteria derived compound able to reduce surface tension between water and hydrophobic substances and exhibit antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effect of a Lipopeptide Biosurfactant (LB) on Enterococcus faecalis, and its potential use in root canal treatment, either as a standalone irrigation solution or in conjunction with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

METHODS

LB was extracted from Bacillus clausii isolate and the dry extract was diluted in deionized water. The antimicrobial effect of LB against planktonic E. faecalis was evaluated by determining the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC50). The anti-biofilm effect was evaluated by Minimal Biofilm Inhibitory Concentration (MBIC50) and Minimal Biofilm Eradication Concentration (MBEC50) assays on biofilm grown on dentin specimen surface. To evaluate the effectiveness of LB as a single irrigation solution and as a pre-irrigation prior to NaOCl, live and dead bacterial cells were quantified using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), and cell biomass was assessed.

RESULTS

LB exhibited an MIC50 and MBIC50 of 100 ppm, with an MBEC50 of 1000 ppm, resulting in 52.94 % biofilm inhibition and 60.95 % biofilm eradication on dentin specimens. The effectiveness was concentration-dependent, at 500 ppm, LB demonstrated comparable antimicrobial efficacy to 2.5 % NaOCl. Pre-irrigation with LB resulted in lower biofilm biomass compared to NaOCl alone.

CONCLUSION

Pre-irrigation with LB enhanced the antimicrobial effect when followed by NaOCl irrigation. Consequently, LB shows promise as both a standalone root canal irrigation solution and as an adjunct to NaOCl in root canal treatment.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The study highlights the potential of Lipopeptide Biosurfactant (LB) as an environmentally friendly irrigation solution for root canal treatment, demonstrating potent antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties against Enterococcus faecalis. LB exhibits concentration-dependent efficacy comparable to 2.5 % NaOCl and can be used as a standalone irrigation solution or in conjunction with NaOCl.

Adhesion and whitening efficacy of P11-4 self-assembling peptide and HAP suspension after using NaOCl as a pre-treatment agent

Background

This study evaluated the adhesion and whitening efficacy of a mixture of hydroxyapatite and P11-4 self-assembling peptide (HAP-peptide) on bovine enamel after pre-treatment with low-concentrated sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

Methods

Fifty-two caries-free bovine incisors were selected. 50 teeth were randomly allocated to five groups (n = 10). The first group was treated with a mixture of 6.25 wt% HAP and 5 ml P11-4 peptide, using NaOCl 3% as pre-treatment. Second, third and fourth groups were treated with 6.25 wt% HAP, 5 ml P11-4 peptide, and NaOCl 3%, respectively. In the fifth group, only water was applied (control group). The color of samples was measured using a spectrophotometer (USB4000-VIS-NIR-ES, Ostfildern, Germany). To evaluate color changes, ΔE values were statistically analyzed. Finally, adherence of HAP particles on two enamel surfaces with and without pre-treatment with NaOCl was analyzed with SEM.

Results

It was observed that the ΔE of the HAP-peptide suspension after pre-treatment with NaOCl was significantly stronger than the control group. In contrast, the overall color changes of separate applications of HAP, peptide, and NaOCl did not differ notably from the control group. SEM observations confirmed that pre-treatment with NaOCl resulted in a more pronounced coverage of HAP on the enamel surface.

Conclusions

Pre-treatment with a low-concentrated NaOCl enhanced the adherence of the HAP layer on the enamel surface, resulting in a stronger whitening effect.

Trial registration

The peptide-HAP suspension is effective in improving tooth whiteness.

Comparison of sodium hypochlorite extrusion by five irrigation systems using an artificial root socket model and a quantitative chemical method

OBJECTIVES

This is to compare the volumes of irrigant apically extruded by five irrigation systems in an artificial socket model simulating clinical conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty extracted human single-rooted teeth were enlarged to size 40/04 and then embedded in silicone impression material. The root canal space was irrigated with nominal 3% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) using standard needle irrigation (SNI) with a 30-gauge notched needle, EndoActivator (EA), XP Endo Finisher (XP Endo), EndoVac (EV), and photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS). Extruded NaOCl was collected, reacted with taurine to form taurine-monochloramine, and absorbance of taurine-monochloramine was measured at 252 nm using a spectrophotometer. The five irrigation systems were compared with repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons.

RESULTS

The EV group had very low extrusion (mean ± SD = 0.12 ± 0.2 μL) and differed significantly from the other four groups (P ≤ 0.001). Larger volumes of irrigant were extruded in the other irrigation groups. There were no significant differences in the extruded volumes among the SNI (7.4 ± 3.4 μL), EA (7.0 ± 6.1 μL), and XP Endo (7.8 ± 4.1 μL) groups (P = 1). The PIPS group had the highest mean extruded volume (12.9 ± 6.8 μL) and differed significantly from SNI (P = 0.030), EV (P < 0.0005), and EA (P = 0.02), but not XP Endo (P = 0.154).

CONCLUSION

Under the in vitro conditions of this study, irrigant extrusion appears unavoidable unless negative pressure irrigation such as EV is used. PIPS extrudes more irrigant than other systems, while SNI, EA, and XP Endo extrude similar volumes of irrigant.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The findings help clinicians select the optimal irrigation system to avoid irrigant extrusion.

Mixture tetracycline citric acid and detergent - A root canal irrigant. A review

BACKGROUND

Root canal irrigants play an indispensable role for the complete disinfection of the root canal system, in particular those areas of the root canal that are not accessible for instrumentation. Sodium hypochlorite, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and chlorhexidine are the most commonly used root canal irrigants in endodontic practice, but they do not satisfy all the properties of an ideal root canal irrigant. Mixture tetracycline, citric acid and detergent, a root canal irrigant, is commercially available as BioPure MTAD (Dentsply, Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK).

METHODOLOGY

The literature was searched for root canal irrigants used in the last 3 decades in PubMed. Data showed 83 relevant articles, of which 24 were found most suitable on the basis of description of properties, advantages and disadvantages of MTAD, hence were included. The aim of this study was to evaluate the properties of MTAD for its antibacterial efficiency, biocompatibility, chelating action with removal of endodontic smear layer and compare it with other commonly used root canal irrigants like sodium hypochlorite, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine.

RESULTS

MTAD was found to be highly effective intracanal irrigant compared to other commonly used root canal irrigants with excellent disinfection of the entire root canal system.

CONCLUSION

MTAD is biocompatible with superior antimicrobial efficiency compared to other commonly used root canal irrigants.