A narrative review on the use of hypochlorous acid in dentistry

Abstract

Hypochlorous acid is the most effective disinfectant in the chlorine family available in dilute solution. The present narrative review investigates the advantages of using Hypoclorous acid for the disinfection of dental setting, aiming to reduce the risk of contamination and cross infections. The use of HOCl has been also investigated during the pandemic period of Covid-19 and possible usage of this well-known disinfectant as valuable device for virus charge reduction is described. HOCl is considered useful in the disinfection of water lines, surfaces and dental devices, and also to reduce the risk of airborne infections if sprayed in the environment of the dental setting, especially when the target is a capsized virus. HOCl is characterized by reasonably low costs, easy management and multiple purposes that could encourage dentists to incorporate the use of novel hypochlorous acid solutions, hydrogels or sprays in their practice. Since there are many possible uses of HOCl in dentistry, further investigations are necessary to comprehend and evaluate the effectiveness of HOCl in the different dental office’s situations and settings.