Biological and physical properties of a reline acrylic resin after immersion in liquid antiseptic soaps.

Purpose: To evaluate some biological (Candida albicans biofilm formation and cytotoxicity) and mechanical (roughness and hardness) properties of a hard reline acrylic resin after immersion in liquid disinfectant soaps.
Methods: Reline samples were made (14 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm in thickness) and immersed in different disinfectant solutions: DW: distilled water at 37°C (control group); DS: Dettol liquid soap; and LS: Lifebuoy liquid soap. After immersion in the different groups, the properties of C. albicans biofilm formation, cytotoxicity, hardness, and roughness were evaluated. Each sample was immersed in the disinfectant solutions for 8 hours for microbiological testing and for 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, with daily immersion cycles, for cytotoxicity and mechanical testing. Data were tabulated and analyzed by Shapiro-Wilk and Levene statistical tests. Based on these results, the appropriate tests for finding statistically significant differences were applied (α= 0.05).
Results: There was a reduction of roughness after immersion of the samples in DS for 21 days (P= 0.0001) and LS for 28 days (P= 0.0218). Hardness values significantly increased after storage of samples in solutions (0.0007≥ P≥ 0.0076), especially considering the longer period of immersion (28 days). The viability and metabolic activity of the biofilm formed on the hard reline samples were significantly reduced (P< 0.05) after soaking in Lifebuoy liquid soap in relation to DW. In addition, the samples immersed in the different solutions were not cytotoxic, as they inhibited less than 25% in relation to the control group (100% of cell viability).
Clinical Significance: This study showed that, in general, immersion in liquid disinfectant soaps had no adverse effect on the physical properties of the hard reline acrylic resin evaluated. In addition, Lifebuoy liquid soap reduced the biofilm formed on the samples and the solutions did not affect the cytotoxicity of the material. Disinfectant liquid soaps could be an alternative method for disinfection of relined dentures.
Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
(Copyright©American Journal of Dentistry.)