Anti-microbial effect of various calcium hydroxide preparations - An in-vitro study

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of various calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 preparations Their activity was tested against 4 facultative anaerobes. Four types of preparations were used (1) Ca(OH)2 in glycerine (2) Ca(OH)2 with equal amounts of base and catalyst mixture (3) Ca(OH)2 with more catalyst and less base and (4) Ca(OH)2 powder mixed with saline.The anti-bacterial activity was checked at 60 min, 24 hrs, 4 days and 5 days. The viability of the bacterial cells were checked by subculture into a fresh media at durations fixed as above. The anti-bacterial effect of Ca(OH)2 with saline ranged from 50% to 100% against the organisms tested. The second preparation had no effect on Staphylococcus-aureus and Micrococcus till the end of 5 days, Streptococcus faecalis was destroyed in 24 hrs and its effect against Streptococcus viridans was 50% at the end of 5 days. The third preparation had no effect on any microorganism in 60 min but 90% of the bacteria were destroyed in 24 hrs and at the end of the 5th day it had destroyed all the organisms. Ca(OH)2 with glycerine did not show any anti-bacterial effect on any organism even at the end of the 5th day.