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Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of different intracanal medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis using confocal microscopy. Materials and Methods: Eighty extracted single-rooted mandibular premolar teeth were used in this study, which were decoronated and instrumented with K-files following which biomechanical preparation was performed up to ProTaper F3. The teeth were inoculated with E. faecalis and incubated for 21 days. The specimens were divided into five groups according to the medicaments used: saline, calcium hydroxide, Aloe vera , Ricinus communis , and lemon extract. After 7 days of placement of intracanal medicament, the efficacy of the intracanal medicament against E. faecalis was assessed using confocal microscopy. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey HSD ( post hoc ) test for multiple comparisons. Results: Calcium hydroxide showed significantly greater antimicrobial efficacy than A. vera , lemon, and R. communis ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Complete elimination of E. faecalis was not achieved in any of the experimental groups. Calcium hydroxide was more effective than the other herbal medicaments used.

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Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of chlorhexidine mouthrinse on the color stability between three different types of composites. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 samples of size 10-mm length, 1-mm width, and 1-mm thickness were prepared on a customized microglass slide from each of the composite materials and immersed in 20 ml of distilled water followed by incubation at 37°C for 24 h. The samples were divided into three groups ( n = 10) – Group I: A nanofilled composite, Filtek Z350XT (3M ESPE, St. Paul, USA); Group II: A microhybrid composite, Polofil Supra (Voco GmbH, Germany); and Group III: A nanoceramic composite, Ceram.x Sphere TEC (Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany). Baseline color values were recorded using a spectrophotometer (V-770 UV-Visible/NIR Spectrophotometer, Easton, Maryland, USA) according to the laboratory scale. After baseline color measurements, ten randomly selected specimens from each group were immersed in 20 ml of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse (Rexidin Plus, Aurangabad, India) for 24 h. The postimmersion color values of the samples were then recorded, respectively, using the same spectrophotometer. Statistical Analysis Used: The statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. Results: Statistically significant difference was observed between the mean color change values in the three groups ( P < 0.05) with the highest color change (delta E [ΔE]) in Group III (Nanoceramic composite). The ΔE for Group I (Nanofilled composite) was 3.16, Group II (Microhybrid composite) was 3.32, and Group III (Nanoceramic composite) was 3.51. Conclusion: All the three types of composites displayed color changes after immersion in mouthrinse, but the color shift depended on the material used, and the nanofilled composites (Filtek Z350XT, 3M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) had higher color stability.

The utility of fungi as stabilizing and reducing agents in the biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles is striking due to the production of large quantities of biomolecules of minute toxic residuals. During the current study, sunlight- and dark-assessed silver nanoparticles were synthesized from wasp nest fungus, Paecilomyces variotii, at different pHs. Synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at 6 pH were found to be more prominent than at 7 and 8 pHs. AgNPs were within the 20- to 90-nm range and were polygonal and elongated in shape. FTIR spectra of light-mediated AgNPs showed diverse transmittance bands than the silver nanoparticles synthesized in the dark. The synthesized AgNPs were found with diverse antimicrobial activities against pathogenic MTCC bacterial strains, i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli, Shewanella putrefaciens, and fungus, Candida albicans. Aqueous filtrate and filtrate-mediated AgNPs combined with methanol solvent extract of yeast extract manitol broth (YEMB) had more inhibitory effects on all bacteria and Candida albicans. Furthermore, the combined effect of AgNPs and methanol solvent extract from YEMB culture filtrate was found more effective against E. coli, while AgNPs combined with methanol solvent of aqueous filtrate had inhibitory effects on E. coli and Candida albicans.