Objectives: in primary teeth, the clinical success of pulpectomy depends on the eradication of pathogenic microorganisms such as Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) from the infected canals. Various chemical and herbal compounds are used to achieve a reasonable level of root canal disinfection. Thus, this study directed to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of citric acid and chitosan in comparison with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on E. faecalis in primary teeth.
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 children aged between 4-7 years were included in the present study. The enrolled children have primary carious teeth that are indicated for pulpectomy treatment. The involved teeth were categorized into three main groups according to the type of irrigant solution; 6% citric acid (A), 6% chitosan (B), and 1% NaOCl (C). Then each main group was further subdivided into non-activated (A1, B1, and C1) or ultrasonic activated (A2, B2, and C2). E. faecalis count was carried out using a colony-forming unit(CFU)
Conclusion: Activation of irrigant solution significantly improves their antibacterial effect. chitosan has a significant effect on the reduction of E. faecalis count. Citric acid cannot be used alone as an irrigant solution.