Natural Rootcanal Irrigants - When the World Goes Bio

The contaminated root canal is a great source of aerobic, anaerobic, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and therefore endodontic infections are considered to be polymicrobial in nature. Microbial infection of root canal is the major reason behind the inflammatory reaction of periapical tissues which leads to apical periodontitis. Chemo mechanical preparation is considered as the prime procedure in endodontic treatment. Anatomical complexities and microbiological factors often pose serious threats to adequate root canal disinfection. It is a prerequisite to use endodontic irrigants in addition to mechanical preparation in order to ensure the success of root canal treatment.Pharmacological studies acknowledged the value of medicinal plants as potential source of bioactive compounds. Various natural plant extracts has antimicrobial and therapeutic effects suggesting it¿s potential to be used as an endodontic irrigant. Antibacterial and antioxidant actions of guava leaf and cashew apple extract have been reported in medical literatures.