Rapid decontamination of gutta-percha cones with alcohol iodine

Abstract

The effectiveness of the alcohol iodine in decontaminating guta-percha cones contaminated with either bacterial cells (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli) or spores (Bacillus subtilis) was tested in laboratory. The contaminated cones were treated for 1, 5, 10 and 15 minutes with the alcohol iodine at concentrations of 0,3% to 3%, and rinsed with alcohol ether. After this, each cone was transferred to a tube containing sterile saline and mixed for 30 seconds with a vortex shaker to remove and count surviving microorganisms. At concentrations of 0,3%, 1%, 2% and 3% the alcohol iodine destroyed in 1 minute the bacterial cells adhered to the surface of gutta-percha cones but it did not eliminate the spores even after 15 minutes of exposure. The results obtained in our study do not confirm the indication of the 0,3%, 1%, 2% or 3% alcohol iodine for quick decontamination of gutta-percha cones.