PROSPECT OF USING PROPOLIS IN CONSERVATIVE DENTISTRY AND ENDODONTIC TREATMENT (BASIC RESEARCH VS CLINICAL APPLICATION)

PROSPEK PENGGUNAAN PROPOLIS DALAM BIDANG OPERATIVE DENTISTRY DAN PERAWATAN ENDODONTI (PENELITIAN DASAR VS APLIKASI KLINIS

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous hive product, collected by bees from tree buds and mixed with secreted bee wax in order to avoid
bacterial contamination in the hive, and also to seal it. It is acknowledged that propolis has antimicrobial activity as well
as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, immuno-regulatory, and regenerative tissue properties. Chemically, propolis
is exceedingly complex and contains a rich variety of potent terpene, benzoic, caffeic, cinnamic, aromatic aldehyde,
phenolic acid, and also high in flavonoid. Recently, propolis has been the subject of several studies, both in vitro and in
vivo or even at animal or human with the aim to elucidate its biological and pharmacological properties. The use of
propolis in dentistry has been done in few years ago for various purposes such as in treatment of periodontitis and dental
caries, to accelerate the healing of post-extraction wounds, to treat aphthous stomatitis, as a storage media following teeth
avulsion. The result of basic research of propolis apparently was useful to support its clinical application in dentistry.
However, standardization the composition of propolis due to its chemical diversity is still a problem. Therefore the
purposes of this review article were (1) to explain the prospect of propolis in conservative dentistry and endodontic
treatment, and (2) to stimulate the interest of clinicians to make further research about this natural compound in dentistry.
In conclusion, propolis is a natural medication with a promising future but further studies should be conducted to
investigate its merit and demerits in clinical dentistry