Residual pulpal tissue, bacteria, and dentin debris may persist in the irregularities of root canal walls, even after careful mechanical preparation.•1 3 A num­ ber of irrigants are used in conjunction with canal instrumentation. In comparing these irrigants in terms of their disinfecting and cleaning qualities, there are two schools of thought. In one a great emphasis is placed on the chemical properties of an irrigant such as sodium hypochlorite, whereas in the other the overriding consideration is the mechanical action of the solution as a flushing agent. Some studies, in fact, have concluded that the flushing action is more important than the type of irrigant and that cleansing is a function of the quantity rather than the type of irrigant