AVILA, Leandro Marques et al. Evaluation of sodium hypochlorite solutions used by endodontists. RSBO (Online) []. 2010, 7, 4, pp. 396-400. ISSN 1984-5685.

INTRODUCTION: The success of endodontic therapy is conditioned by several variables, being the use of good quality chemical agents one of them. OBJECTIVE: In this study, some characteristics of commonly used sodium hypochlorite irrigants were investigated, such as: concentration, pH, and storage conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For this purpose, a questionnaire comprising questions regarding the employed irrigant was sent to 100 endodontists. Besides that, a 100mL sample of the sodium hypochlorite irrigant used by them was collected. Free residual chlorine determination was laboratorially carried out through titration method. Additionally, pH was measured, through peagameter reading. RESULTS: Only 1% of the professionals did know the pH value of the solutions used by them. Concerning to pH value, 36% of the solutions presented pH 9; 22%, pH 10; 16%, pH 13; 14%, pH 12; 11%, pH 11; and 1%, pH 8. 37% of the endodontists kept the solution flasks under refrigeration, and 67% kept them at environmental temperature. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the endodontists are using altered hypochlorite solutions because they fail to observe the necessary conditions for maintaining the solution's chemical stability

: sodium hypochlorite; storage; chemical stability.