Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. 7-day use of a propolis-based paste significantly improved healing time of dental sockets (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 2-day use of a propolis-based mouthwash reduced bacterial proliferation and results were deemed significant for a combination of a propolis and chlorhexidine-based mouthwash.
Periodontal disease is characterized by progressive destruction of the soft and hard tissues of the periodontal complex1. One of the major determinants of the development and progression of periodontal disease is an increased concentration of pathogenic bacteria within dental plaque that activates a massive immune response2. The prevalence of periodontal disease ranges from 20% to 50% around the world and is one of the major causes of tooth loss3.
Propolis is a non-toxic resinous substance which has attracted the attention of researchers in the medical and dental fields due to its antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties4. Around 300 different components have been identified in propolis and its biological activity is linked with polyphenols and terpenoids5. Research has shown that its application can aid in healing oral ulcers and gingivitis, and it can kill periodontal pathogens6.
Lisbona-Gonzalez et al. conducted a controlled clinical trial to investigate the effect of a propolis-based medication to aid in the healing and epithelialization process after dental extraction and to assess the effect of a propolis mouthwash on oral microbiota. 60 participants (28 males and 32 females) aged 50 to 60 years with chronic periodontitis who had tooth extractions were included in the propolis-paste trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control and were instructed to apply the assigned paste 3 times a day for 7 days on the socket alveolar after dental extraction. Those in the treatment group used an orabase paste added with 10% propolis, while the placebo used an orapaste.
After dental extraction, participants went for a first visit (3 days after surgery), a second visit (4 days after surgery), and a third visit (7 days after surgery). At visit 1, 13.4% of subjects in the control group had completely healed dental sockets, while 63.3% of those in the propolis group had completely healed (p < 0.001). At visit 3, 53.4% of dental sockets had completely healed in the control group, while 100% of dental sockets were healed in the propolis paste group (p < 0.001).
Another 40 subjects were recruited for the controlled clinical mouthwash trial and underwent clinical and radiographic examinations which included the duration and conditions of oral hygiene. Subjects were then randomized to either the placebo (glycerin, sodium benzoate, and purified water) mouthwash (n = 10), the 0.2% chlorhexidine group (n = 10), the propolis group (containing 2% of propolis) (n = 10), or the 2% propolis and 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash group (n = 10). The propolis contained 169.8 ± 4.1 mg GAE/100 g as total phenolics and 32.1 ± 1.2 mg CE/100 g total flavonoids. The pH levels of the various mouthwashes were 5.9 ± 0.72, 6.1 ± 0.55, 6.3 ± 0.44, 6.4 ± 0.31 for the placebo, the chlorhexidine mouthwash, the propolis, and the propolis + chlorhexidine mouthwash, respectively. Baseline levels of Streptococci mutans and Lactobacillus spp. were recorded before and after mouthwash use.
Participants were instructed to use the mouthwash for one minute three times daily for two days. Baseline levels of Streptococci mutans were 2 (Medium > 105 < 106 cfu) and Lactobacillus spp. were 3 (High > 106cfu) (n = 40). At the two-day follow-up, subjects in the placebo group had the same bacteria levels compared to baseline, while the chlorhexidine group had a slight decrease in Lactobacillus spp. Those in the propolis 2% group had a score 2 in 40% of subjects and score 1 in 60% of participants regarding Streptococci mutans and a score 2 in 50% of subjects and a score 3 in 50% of participants regarding Lactobacillus spp. The chlorhexidine and propolis mouthwash group had a score 1 in 100% of participants for Streptococci mutans and had a score 1 in 100% of subjects regarding Lactobacillus spp.
Significant findings of the two studies show that propolis effectively healed dental sockets by day 7 after tooth extraction and reduced bacterial proliferation, especially when paired with chlorhexidine. Further research should continue to explore the use of propolis for dental-related issues. Study limitations include the small number of enrolled participants and the short duration of the study.
Source: Lisbona-González, Maria Jesús, Esther Muñoz-Soto, Cristina Lisbona-González, Marta Vallecillo-Rivas, Javier Diaz-Castro, and Jorge Moreno-Fernandez. “Effect of propolis paste and mouthwash formulation on healing after teeth extraction in periodontal disease.” Plants 10, no. 8 (2021): 1603.
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Posted October 19, 2023.
Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.
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