Antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles with and without different antimicrobial agents against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans

The aim of this ex vivo study was to check the antimicrobial efficacy of silver nanoparticles with and without different antimicrobials against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans.
Two-hundred and fifty two freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth were contaminated with E. faecalis and C. albicans. The teeth were randomly divided into five experimental (n = 21) and one control group (n = 21). Each subgroup was then exposed to different antimicrobials, namely calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) (Group 1), 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) (Group 2), silver nanoparticles (SNP) (Group 3), SNP with Ca(OH)2 (Group 4), SNP with 2% CHX (Group 5), and saline as control group (Group 6). Cultures were made from each group after 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days, and colony forming units were counted. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the study parameters among the groups at 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days.
Significant difference was found in the antimicrobial efficacy of different intracanal medicaments against E. faecalis and C. albicans after 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days. 2% CHX was found to be the most effective medicament at 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days against E. faecalis and C. albicans. Combination of SNP with 2% CHX and Ca(OH)2 and SNP alone ranked second in their antimicrobial efficacy against E. faecalis and C. albicans at 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days, respectively.
2% CHX was more effective as intracanal medicament against E. faecalis and C. albicans biofilm in both short as well as long-term duration, i.e., at 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days.