The incorporation of antibacterial agents into glass ionomer cement

Dental caries is one of the most important infectious diseases of childhood. It ranks among the most widely spreading disease in human. It is the primary pathological cause of tooth loss in children. To arrest the caries process and preserve the vitality of the pulp, removal of the caries except the last layer covering the pulp and seal it with a liner with antimicrobial properties is suggested. It has been observed that sealing dentin carious lesions of the oral environment with materials without antibacterial properties are incapable by themselves of completely eliminating microorganisms in the lesions. In order to increase the antibacterial properties of glass ionomer cement liner (GIC), antibacterial agents (antibiotics or chlorhexidine) have been incorporated to improve the therapeutic benefit in cavity sterilization.