The laboratory investigation of the capillarity of various dental solutions at three temperature levels

Introduction/Objective. Many oblong micro-spaces of less than 500 ? exist within oral cavity, such as dentine canalicular spaces, gaps, recesses, gingival sulcus etc. Since these spaces are susceptible to food and pathogenic microbe?s accumulation, the most dental solutions should be able to penetrate into those micro spaces exhibiting therapeutic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of capillarity of several dental solutions at three temperature levels. Methods. The following solutions were examined: ethanol (EA), saline, hydrogen peroxide (HP), sodium hypo-chlorite (SH), citric acid, ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA), distilled water, and chlorhexidine. The samples were exposed to the temperature of 20, 38 and 50?C measuring capillary by glass tube of 400 ? diameter. The capillary effects of the solutions were recorded on the graduate capillary tube (mm) and data were statistically processed. Results. The highest raise of capillarity (20-50?C) showed 70% EA (8.8 ? 1.1) and the lowest 2.5% SH (2.1 ? 1.5) and 3% HP (2.1 ? 1.6). The highest capillarity at 50?C showed 17% EDTA (40.1 ? 1.4) while 4% SH showed the lowest one (25.9 ? 2.1) (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The level of capillarity of dental irrigating solutions was enhanced with temperature increase in all solutions, but not to the same extent.