calcium hydroxide + normal saline

Calcium hydroxide mixed with normal saline is a traditional intracanal medicament used in endodontic therapy. Calcium hydroxide ($Ca(OH)_2$) is a strong alkaline substance with a pH of approximately 12.5. Its therapeutic effect is primarily mediated through the release of hydroxyl ions, which create a highly alkaline environment that is lethal to most bacterial species found in infected root canals. This alkalinity disrupts bacterial cytoplasmic membranes, denatures essential proteins, and damages bacterial DNA. Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) serves as a sterile, chemically inert vehicle to create a paste-like consistency, facilitating the delivery and placement of the medicament within the root canal system. In the clinical trial led by Aqsa Afzal, this combination is used as a control to evaluate the efficacy of adding 0.2% chlorhexidine in reducing postoperative pain in patients with periapical periodontitis.

Other names

calcium hydroxide with salinecalcium hydroxide mixed with salineCa(OH)2 + saline