Savaş SAĞMAK, Ömer ÇELLİK, Sadık AKGÜN
Journal of Dental Sciences and Education - 2026;4(3):91-96
Aims: Pulp health is at risk from environmental factors such as caries or trauma. To prevent these risks, the pulp is treated with a capping material, either directly or indirectly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of four different pulp capping materials against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus). Methods: The antimicrobial activity of four different pulp capping materials (TheraCal LC, Dycal, MTA Angelus, and MTA Cem LC) and a chlorhexidine control group was assessed using the agar diffusion method at three-time intervals (1, 3, and 5 days). For each experimental group, twenty samples were prepared and tested against S. mutans (ATCC(R) 25175) and L. acidophilus (ATCC(R) 11975), which served as standard bacterial strains. The obtained data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests for multiple comparisons. Results: Based on the overall mean values across all measurement periods, the chlorhexidine control group exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against both S. mutans and L. acidophilus. Analyzing the experimental groups, MTA Angelus, TheraCal LC, and Dycal showed antimicrobial activity against S. mutans. MTA Cem LC demonstrated no discernible antimicrobial activity. However, TheraCal LC and Dycal demonstrated antimicrobial activity against L. acidophilus. MTA Angelus and MTA Cem LC exhibited no antimicrobial activity. Statistically significant differences were observed among the groups on all measurement days (p<0.05). Conclusion: The antibacterial performance of pulp capping materials was influenced by both material composition and bacterial species. These findings highlight the importance of considering antibacterial properties alongside biological characteristics when selecting pulp capping materials.
