Evaluation of the antimicrobial action and cleaning ability of different naturally based vinegar used as endodontic irrigants

Introduction: Irrigation of the root canals is an important step during endodontictreatment. Irrigants serve to eradicate microbial infection and to remove the resultingsmear layer. NaOCl/EDTA irrigation is the gold standard irrigation protocol. However,it has several side effects. So, it was urgent call to investigate herbal alternatives aspotential endodontic irrigants. Aim: To evaluate the antimicrobial action and smearlayer removal ability of apple, dates and pomegranate vinegars compared to NaOCl/EDTA irrigation. Materials &Methods: Sixty-five sterile roots were infected withE.faecalis, incubated for three weeks then grouped into five groups; apple vinegargroup, dates vinegar group, pomegranate vinegar group, NaOCl/EDTA group andcontrol group, respectively. Three Microbial samples were obtained from the rootcanals: before irrigation, immediately after irrigation and one week after irrigation. Thereduction% of mean Log10 CFU was calculated. Five roots from each group were splitbucco-lingually, scanned with SEM and processed using ImageJ software. Statisticalanalysis was performed by applying the t-test, ANOVA (one and two way) followed bypost hoc Tukey's test at 95% significance level. Results: Dates vinegar group showedhigh antimicrobial action and smear layer removal ability comparable to NaOCl/EDTAgroup and the difference was statistically insignificant. Pomegranate and apple vinegargroups showed less antimicrobial action and smear layer removal ability than datesvinegar and NaOCl/EDTA which was statistically significant. Conclusion: Phenoliccompounds in dates vinegar are responsible for its antimicrobial action and smear layerremoval ability making it potential alternative to NaOCl/EDTA.