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. 2024 Mar;55(1):403-410.
doi: 10.1007/s42770-024-01255-8. Epub 2024 Jan 16.

Efficacy of calcium hypochlorite in disinfection of gutta-percha cones contaminated with Candida albicans

Guilherme Pauletto  1 , Pedro Henrique Fortes Guerim  2 , Arthur Brites Barbosa  2 , Leonardo Quintana Soares Lopes  3 , Carlos Alexandre Souza Bier  4 , Patrícia Kolling Marquezan  5
Affiliations

Efficacy of calcium hypochlorite in disinfection of gutta-percha cones contaminated with Candida albicans

Guilherme Pauletto et al. Braz J Microbiol. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2.5% calcium hypochlorite [Ca(OCl)2], and 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) in the rapid disinfection of gutta-percha cones contaminated with Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations of each solution for C. albicans were determined and the ability of each solution to destroy and inhibit biofilm in culture wells was tested. In addition, ninety-eight gutta-percha cones contaminated with the fungal suspension were disinfected according to the type of solution (2.5% NaOCl, 2.5% Ca(OCl)2 or 2% CHX) in its different application methods (without agitation, ultrasonic agitation or agitation with Easy Clean), and regarding the exposure time to each irrigating solution (1 or 5 min). Next, the samples were checked for turbidity and evaluation of viable colonies. The compounds that showed the best performance in biofilm destruction were NaOCl and Ca(OCl)2 at a concentration of 2xMIC (p < 0.001). Regarding inhibited biofilm, the only compound that was effective at all MIC concentrations tested was 2.5% Ca(OCl)2 (p < 0.0001). Regarding the viable colonies, all solutions were effective concerning the control group, for all application methods, in 1 and 5 min (p < 0.05). The densitometer reading showed that CHX was the only effective solution in all application methods performed (p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that all tested solutions were effective in the rapid decontamination of cones contaminated with C. albicans.

Keywords: Candida albicans; Calcium hypochlorite; Chlorhexidine; Gutta-percha; Sodium hypochlorite.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Antibiofilm activity [A] and biofilm inhibition [B] of C. albicans treated with different concentrations of 2.5% NaOCl, 2.5% Ca(OCl)2, and 2% CHX. Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey’s test was performed. Values of p < 0.05 [*], p < 0.01 [**], p < 0.001 [***] and p < 0.0001 [****] were considered statistically significant when compared with the Positive Control
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Counting of viable colonies of biofilm treated with 2.5% NaOCl, 2.5% Ca(OCl)2, and 2% CHX against C. albicans in different agitation processes in 1 [A] and 5 min [B]. Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey’s test was performed. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant [a] comparing saline with treatments in the same agitation process and p < 0.05 [b] comparing agitation processes of the same treatment with ultrasonic agitation
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Antibacterial activity of 2.5% NaOCl, 2.5% Ca(OCl)2, and 2% CHX against C. albicans in different agitation processes in 1 [A] and 5 min [B] through the densitometer. Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey’s test was performed. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant [a] comparing saline with treatments in the same agitation process and p < 0.05 [b] comparing agitation processes of the same treatment with ultrasonic agitation
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