Efficacy of Chlorine Dioxide as an Endodontic Irrigant for Pulp Dissolution in vitro

Abstract

Determine the efficacy of 5 % chlorine dioxide as an endodontic irrigant for pulp dissolution. Thirty five samples of human dental pulp were obtained, previously weighed and immersed in three solutions= 5 % ClO 2 , 5.25 % NaOCl and saline (control group), for 10 minutes at 32 ºC; they were dried and reweighed. Then the weight loss was compared to the original weight and analyzed statistically. 5.25 % NaOCl and 5 % ClO 2 dissolved the dental pulp samples more effectively than saline (p> 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the tissue dissolving properties of 5.25 % NaOCl and 5 % ClO 2 (p=0.893). 5 % ClO 2 is effective in dissolving human dental pulp tissue.