(TC17) Specific Bacteriophages Against Enterococcus Faecalis in Root Canal Infection: A Scoping Review

Abstract: Endodontic treatments can fail due to several reasons, but the primary factor is the presence of microorganisms in the root canal system. Among these microbes, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is the most prevalent and virulent organism that can form a biofilm on dentin. This biofilm makes it resistant to sodium hypochlorite and calcium hydroxide used in irrigation and intracanal treatment. As the biofilm matures, the resistance increases, making E. faecalis the dominant microbe responsible for persistent periapical lesions that can harm a patient's health. The challenge in treating bacterial infections is the difficulty in disrupting the biofilm by cleaning and shaping the root canal system. Novel strategies are required to prevent and disorganize the biofilm. Bacteriophages have been identified as a solution to this problem, as they can destroy the bacterial genome. The aim of this scoping review is to explore the available evidence about the use of specific bacteriophages against E. faecalis. After searching MEDLINE, PUBMED, CLINICAL KEY, SCIENCE DIRECT, and SCIELO databases from 2000 to 2022, we selected 13 references that met the inclusion criteria: “bacteriophage,” “root canal,” “phage therapy,” “endodontics,” and “endodontic infection.” The bacteriophages found are broad-spectrum, but only lyse Gram-positive bacteria like E. faecalis.