IADR Abstract Archives
Evaluation of Different Solvents on Alkaline Property Of Calcium Hydroxide
"Objectives: " Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different solvents with calcium hydroxide on the ability to maintaining an alkaline environment over an extended period of time. "Methods: " Calcium hydroxide powder (Henry Schein) was mixed with 5 different solvents which included (1) Distilled water, (2) Lidocaine, (3) Glycerin, (4) 0.9% sodium chloride (Baxter Healthcare) and (5) Water + glycerin. Calcium hydroxide powder and solvents were mixed on a glass plate until paste consistency was achieved. A total of fifty samples were made with ten samples per solvent (n=10/gp). To model mouth conditions, all the samples were stored in the incubator at 370C during the study period of 10 days. Using the ExStik pH meter, pH was measured at intervals of: 5mins (beginning), 12hrs, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 8 days and 10 days. "Results: " The pH of all the pastes stayed in the range of 11.55 to 12.82 until 12 hours. Later on the pH started to drop. On the 2nd day pH of the sample with Ca(OH)2+glycerin and sample with Ca(OH)2+water/glycerin remained in the range of 12.61 to 12.76, while the pH of the other samples ranged from 6.09 to 8.08. On the 8th day pH of the sample with water + glycerin was 10.51 and the pH of the other samples ranged from 6.05 to 9.26. On the 10th day pH of all the samples started to drop further: Water + glycerin (7.71), Glycerin (7.24), Lidocaine (6.66), 0.9% Sodium hypochlorite (6.64) and Water (6.62) "Conclusion: " While the pH of all the samples dropped over the 10 day time period, Calcium hydroxide mixed with a solvent of distilled water + glycerin remained alkaline for the longest time period, indicating that this solvent might provide pronounced antibacterial environment as intracanal medicament than other solvents.