Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the antimicrobial efficacy and cytotoxicity in fibroblasts of neutral super-oxidized electrolyzed gel and chlorhexidine digluconate. Cultures were prepared with Streptococcus intermedius, Porphyromonas gingivalis and a mixture of both. Thirty sterile orthodontic mini-implants were impregnated with neutral super-oxidized electrolyzed gel and chlorhexidine digluconate for 10 min, then immersed in culture media and incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Samples were taken for colony forming units (CFU), turbidity tests to determine bacterial absorbance and concentration, and for cytotoxicity testing in fibroblasts. Neutral super-oxidized electrolyzed gel had a lower inhibitory effect on S. intermedius with a statistically significant bacterial absorbance and CFU (P = 0.012 and P = 0.000, respectively). This was also observed for P. gingivalis with a statistically significant CFU (P = 0.000). A similar behavior was found with the mixture ofS. intermedius and P. gingivalis with a significant bacterial absorbance and CFU (P = 0.003 and P = 0.000, respectively). Chlorhexidine digluconate showed no bacterial growth and a greater cell cytotoxicity (22.08% cell viability), compared with super-oxidized gel (97.16%). Super-oxidized gel inhibited bacterial growth around the mini-implant. Chlorhexidine digluconate acted as a bactericide. Chlorhexidine digluconate had a greater cytotoxic effect when compared with neutral super-oxidized electrolyzed gel.

Key words: Mini-implants, chlorhexidine, neutral super-oxidized electrolyzed gel, bactericide.