Bacteriology of chronic apical periodontitis

Abstract

A deep knowledge about endodontic microbiology is a fundamental resourse to understand the role of bacteria in the origin and development of chronic apical periodontitis as well as to provide database for adequate therapy. Our objective was to investigate the composition of bacterial flora in chronic apical periodontitis and to identify in vivo the microorganisms found in 20 root canals with periapical disease. After isolating a tooth with a rubber dam and access in the pulp system, a Hedstroen file no 15 was introduced in to the canal in order to remove dentin debries. Imediatelly after, distilled water was introduced and aspirated from the root canal. The aspirated material was spreaded into culture media composed by blood agar, MacConkey, aside blood agar (identify aerobes), brucella blood agar, FEAS and thioglycolate (identify anaerobes). The anaerobes conditions were obtained in GasPak jar immediately after spreading. The incubation and identification was achieved at the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre (HCPA) — Microbiology Unit. The predominant isolates were streptococcus sp. Group viridans. In this study we were able to identify some potentially pathogenic bacteria in chronic apical periodontitis such as Streptococcus sp. group viridans, Eubacterium sp., Enterococcus sp., Bacteroides sp., Peptostreptococcus sp. and Propionibacterium sp..