Prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in saliva and filled root canals of teeth associated with apical periodontitis

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria in the saliva, including Enterococcus faecalis, can colonize imperfectly sealed root canals, research from China shows. E. faecalis is associated with chronic periodontitis and often found in the mouths of patients who have undergone root canal or other endodontic procedures. From a study of 54 patients with periodontitis and root canals requiring retreatment, a research team led by Cheng-Fei Zhang of the University of Hong Kong observed a significant association between E. faecalis in the saliva and the presence of this species within root canals. However, the researchers generally detected these bacteria more at root canal sites than in saliva. They also found that poorly sealed canals generally contained more diverse populations of bacteria, highlighting that greater care should be taken in performing this procedure.

Keywords

apical periodontitis / endodontic treatment / Enterococcus faecalis / saliva / 16S rRNA

References

[1] Kayaoglu G, Orstavik D. Virulence factors of Enterococcus faecalis: relationship to endodontic disease. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med, 2004, 15(5): 308-320.

[2] Souto R, Colombo AP. Prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in subgingival biofilm and saliva of subjects with chronic periodontal infection. Arch Oral Biol, 2008, 53(2): 155-160.

[3] Love RM. Enterococcus faecalis—a mechanism for its role in endodontic failure. Int Endod J, 2001, 34(5): 399-405.

[4] Sunde PT, Olsen I, Debelian GJ. Microbiota of periapical lesions refractory to endodontic therapy. J Endod, 2002, 28(4): 304-310.

[5] Sedgley C, Buck G, Appelbe O. Prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis at multiple oral sites in endodontic patients using culture and PCR. J Endod, 2006, 32(2): 104-109.

[6] Sedgley CM, Lennan SL, Clewell DB. Prevalence, phenotype and genotype of oral enterococci. Oral Microbiol Immunol, 2004, 19(2): 95-101.

[7] Kampfer J, Gohring TN, Attin T. Leakage of food-borne Enterococcus faecalis through temporary fillings in a simulated oral environment. Int Endod J, 2007, 40(6): 471-477.

[8] Razavi A, Gmur R, Imfeld T. Recovery of Enterococcus faecalis from cheese in the oral cavity of healthy subjects. Oral Microbiol Immunol, 2007, 22(4): 248-251.

[9] Kaufman B, Spangberg L, Barry J. Enterococcus spp. in endodontically treated teeth with and without periradicular lesions. J Endod, 2005, 31(12): 851-856.

[10] Bayne SC, Schmalz G. Reprinting the classic article on USPHS evaluation methods for measuring the clinical research performance of restorative materials. Clin Oral Investig, 2005, 9(4): 209-214.

[11] Dugas NN, Lawrence HP, Teplitsky PE. Periapical health and treatment quality assessment of root-filled teeth in two Canadian populations. Int Endod J, 2003, 36(3): 181-192.

[12] Gomes BP, Pinheiro ET, Gade-Neto CR. Microbiological examination of infected dental root canals. Oral Microbiol Immunol, 2004, 19(2): 71-76.

[13] Schirrmeister JF, Liebenow AL, Pelz K. New bacterial compositions in root-filled teeth with periradicular lesions. J Endod, 2009, 35(2): 169-174.

[14] Sedgley CM, Nagel AC, Shelburne CE. Quantitative real-time PCR detection of oral Enterococcus faecalis in humans. Arch Oral Biol, 2005, 50(6): 575-583.

[15] Pinheiro ET, Gomes BP, Ferraz CC. Microorganisms from canals of root-filled teeth with periapical lesions. Int Endod J, 2003, 36(1): 1-11.

[16] Peciuliene V, Balciuniene I, Eriksen HM. Isolation of Enterococcus faecalis in previously root-filled canals in a Lithuanian population. J Endod, 2000, 26(10): 593-595.

[17] Adib V, Spratt D, Ng YL. Cultivable microbial flora associated with persistent periapical disease and coronal leakage after root canal treatment: a preliminary study. Int Endod J, 2004, 37(8): 542-551.

[18] Gold OG, Jordan HV, van Houte J. The prevalence of enterococci in the human mouth and their pathogenicity in animal models. Arch Oral Biol, 1975, 20(7): 473-477.

[19] Liu H, Wei X, Ling J. Biofilm formation capability of Enterococcus faecalis cells in starvation phase and its susceptibility to sodium hypochlorite. J Endod, 2010, 36(4): 630-635.

[20] Sundqvist G, Figdor D, Persson S. Microbiologic analysis of teeth with failed endodontic treatment and the outcome of conservative re-treatment. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 1998, 85(1): 86-93.

[21] Evans M, Davies JK, Sundqvist G. Mechanisms involved in the resistance of Enterococcus faecalis to calcium hydroxide. Int Endod J, 2002, 35(3): 221-228.

[22] Portenier I, Haapasalo H, Orstavik D. Inactivation of the antibacterial activity of iodine potassium iodide and chlorhexidine digluconate against Enterococcus faecalis by dentin, dentin matrix, type-I collagen, and heat-killed microbial whole cells. J Endod, 2002, 28(9): 634-637.

[23] Dahlen G, Samuelsson W, Molander A. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility of enterococci isolated from the root canal. Oral Microbiol Immunol, 2000, 15(5): 309-312.

[24] Nair PN, Henry S, Cano V. Microbial status of apical root canal system of human mandibular first molars with primary apical periodontitis after “one-visit” endodontic treatment. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 2005, 99(2): 231-252.

[25] Siren EK, Haapasalo MP, Ranta K. Microbiological findings and clinical treatment procedures in endodontic cases selected for microbiological investigation. Int Endod J, 1997, 30(2): 91-95.

[26] Zehnder M, Guggenheim B. The mysterious appearance of enterococci in filled root canals. Int Endod J, 2009, 42(4): 277-287.

[27] Ferrari PH, Cai S, Bombana AC. Effect of endodontic procedures on enterococci, enteric bacteria and yeasts in primary endodontic infections. Int Endod J, 2005, 38(6): 372-380.

[28] Chu CH, Lo EC, Cheung GS. Outcome of root canal treatment using Thermafil and cold lateral condensation filling techniques. Int Endod J, 2005, 38(3): 179-185.

[29] Samaranayake LP, MacFarlane TW, Lamey PJ. A comparison of oral rinse and imprint sampling techniques for the detection of yeast, coliform and Staphylococcus aureus carriage in the oral cavity. J Oral Pathol, 1986, 15(7): 386-388.

[30] Siqueira JF Jr, Rocas IN. Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus in primary endodontic infections. J Endod, 2003, 29(11): 735-738.

[31] Meiers JC, Wirthlin MR, Shklair IL. A microbiological analysis of human early carious and non-carious fissures. J Dent Res, 1982, 61(3): 460-464.

[32] Martin FE, Nadkarni MA, Jacques NA. Quantitative microbiological study of human carious dentine by culture and real-time PCR: association of anaerobes with histopathological changes in chronic pulpitis. J Clin Microbiol, 2002, 40(5): 1698-1704.