Abstract
INTRODUCTION: As the root canal system considered to be complex and unpredictable, using root canal irrigants and medicaments are essential in order to enhance the disinfection of the canal. Sodium hypochlorite is the most common irrigant in endodontics. Despite its excellent antimicrobial activity and tissue solubility, sodium hypochlorite lacks some important properties such as substantivity and smear layer removing ability. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to address benefits and drawbacks of combining sodium hypochlorite with other root canal irrigants and medicaments. DISCUSSION: According to the reviewed articles, NaOCl is the most common irrigation solution in endodontics. However, it has some drawbacks such as inability to remove smear layer. One of the drawbacks of NaOCl is its inability to remove the smear layer and lack of substantivity. CONCLUSION: The adjunctive use of other materials has been suggested to improve NaOCl efficacy. Nevertheless, further studies are required in this field.