Comparative In Vitro study of Antimicrobial Efficacy of NaOCl, Normal Saline and Hekla lava tooth powder as a root canal irrigant against Enterococcus faecalis

Abstract

Background:Enterococcus faecalis, a bacterium commonly associated with persistent endodontic infections. Hekla lava, known for its healing properties, to enhance its antibacterial effects, making it a potential alternative to traditional irrigants like sodium hypochlorite. E. faecalis is particularly resilient and can form biofilms, complicating treatment outcomes; therefore, exploring effective irrigants is crucial for improving root canal disinfection strategies. This research investigated to assess whether Heklava Tooth Powder can provide sufficient antimicrobial efficacy to support successful endodontic treatments. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), normal saline (NS), and Hekla Lava Tooth Powder (HL T.P) as a root canal irrigant against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and Method:The in vitro study was conducted in an extracted non carious human tooth. The treatment groups were treated with Group A: NaOCL, Group B:Normal Saline, and Group C:Heklava tooth powder (HL TP) for the irrigation of root canal for both 5 minutes and 48 hours. Descriptive statistics were used to find the mean distribution of the data. Normality test was done using Shapiro Wilk test. Data was normally distributed and parametric test of ANOVA was used. Post Hoc test was done after the significance of the ANOVA test. P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant Results: The results of the study showed significant differences in the antimicrobial efficacy of the three treatment groups at both time points. In contrast, Hekla lava tooth powder showed a decrease in CFUs from a mean initial count of 59.35±5.80 after 5 minutes to 40.47±3.81 after 48 hours, indicating that its use was better when compared to Normal saline. Conclusion: The findings of the current study reaffirm that the use of Heklava tooth powder as an irrigant is preferable when compared to Normal Saline due to its superior antimicrobial properties against Enterococcus faecalis. Normal Saline lacks substantial antimicrobial effects, making it less effective for disinfection in root canal procedures. This study highlights the potential of Heklava tooth powder as a more effective alternative for improving treatment outcomes in endodontics, suggesting a shift toward herbal and natural solutions in dental care practices.

Keywords: Heklava Tooth powder, NaOCl, E.faecalis, Antimicrobial efficacy, Root canal irrigant