COMBINED EFFECT OF GENTAMYCIN, AMPICILLIN WITH N – ACETYLCYSTEINE AGAINST ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS BIOFILM : AN IN VITRO STUDY

Abstract

Biolm-related infections pose a major problem in the society from both an economical and health perspective. Persisting biolms inside the root canal system after root canal therapy may result in re-infections and persistent apical periodontitis. Enterococcus Faecalis (E.Faecalis) has been found in 38% of the failed root canal-treated teeth. Aim: Evaluation of in vitro antibacterial efcacy of Gentamycin (GMC), Ampicillin (AMP) and their combination with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in root canals infected with E.Faecalis. Methods And Materials: 60 extracted single rooted human teeth were prepared and randomly divided into six groups: Calcium hydroxide (CH), Gentamycin (GMC), Ampicillin (AMP), Gentamycin and N-acetylcysteine (GMC+NAC), Ampicillin and N-acetylcysteine (AMP+NAC) and Normal Saline as a positive control. According to the name of the groups, intracanal medicaments were placed into the canals and the teeth were restored with a temporary lling. After one week, intracanal medicament was removed and the nal count of bacteria was measured. Antibacterial effect of medicament was assessed by measuring the percentage reduction in the colony counts and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the overall antibacterial efcacy of the intracanal medicaments at signicance level of 0.05. Result & Conclusion: Comparatively the combination of Ampicillin and NAC has a higher disruptive effect on biolms when compared to calcium hydroxide.