Evaluation of different disinfection protocols for gutta-percha cones contaminated by microorganisms associated with improper handling by the professional

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of decontamination of different protocols for disinfection of gutta-percha cones contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus. Method: previously contaminated gutta-percha cones were submitted for contact with other disinfecting agents at different times. Subsequently, the protocols were evaluated for the growth of microorganisms by observing the color change of the medium contained in the tubes. A comparative qualitative analysis was performed to assess contamination differences between Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. Result: In the qualitative study, no difference was observed regarding the contamination of gutta-percha cones by the microorganisms tested. All agents tested had their effectiveness over the decontamination action of gutta-percha cones contaminated in both exposure times. Conclusion: the Staphylococcus genus is the most frequently found after contamination due to the breakdown of the aseptic chain suggesting a bacterial model for experiments associated with contamination due to inadequate professional manipulation of dental materials. All the agents showed an effective decontamination action of contaminated gutta-percha.