A comparative evaluation of the number of streptococcus mutans colonies in the enamel surface of teeth after the application of CPP-ACP containing propolis and CPP-ACP without propolis

Objective: This study was to determine the efficacy of CPP-ACP combined with propolis by evaluating the number of Streptococcus mutans colonies in the enamel surfaces of children aged 7–9 years before and after the application of CPP-ACP containing propolis. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with purposive sampling was used in this study, which was conducted on 32 students aged 7–9 years who were divided into two groups that were intervention and control groups. Two young dentists examined the students, and their results were calibrated by a kappa value of 0.82. The number of S. mutans colonies was evaluated at baseline, and after a CPP-ACP propolis paste was applied to white spot surfaces in the intervention group and CPP-ACP without propolis was applied to white spot surfaces of students in the control group in every day for 4 weeks. Results: There was a significant decrease in the proportion of S. mutans colonies both of the intervention group (28%) and the control group (26%) (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the effect of CPP-ACP propolis combination compared to CPP-ACP without propolis in decreasing the number of S. mutans colonies (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study confirmed that CPP-ACP containing propolis is not better than CPP-ACP without propolis in decreasing the number of S. mutans colonies; however, the CPP-ACP propolis combination has the potential to be used as an alternative material to prevent demineralization and improve remineralization of white spots in enamel surfaces.