Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM42593545
Propolis-containing formulations in caries prevention - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Berto Luciana Pisenti, Wierichs Richard Johannes, Sakae Letícia Oba, et al. · Clinical oral investigations · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1007/s00784-026-07065-6
Findings
50 findings
| Population | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: mouthwash | SMD -1.81 [-2.42, -1.19] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 60 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) 3 to 7 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 3 to 7 days | SMD -0.92 [-1.65, -0.18] GRADE not reported 5 studies · 119 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Propolis concentration: 5% to 10% | SMD -2.56 [-4.63, -0.5] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 120 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: dentifrice | SMD -2.42 [-3.87, -0.97] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 134 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) 1 to 2 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 1 to 2 days | SMD -1.6 [-2.48, -0.72] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 320 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: tablet or candy | SMD -0.93 [-4.6, 2.74] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 70 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) | SMD -1.11 [-1.52, -0.7] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness 24 studies · 1183 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: dentifrice | SMD -2.42 [-3.87, -0.97] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 134 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Studies reporting propolis concentration (all concentration subgroups combined) | SMD -1.05 [-1.56, -0.54] GRADE not reported 16 studies · 693 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) | SMD -1.45 [-2.43, -0.48] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness 11 studies · 460 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) 45 to 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 45 to 90 days | SMD -1.24 [-2.32, -0.15] GRADE not reported 6 studies · 250 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Immediately after treatment · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: immediately after treatment | SMD -0.36 [-3.78, 3.06] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 60 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm Single time point per study (longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days) · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: application on carious dentine | SMD 1.36 [0.66, 2.05] GRADE not reported 1 study · 40 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: dentifrice | SMD -0.76 [-1.31, -0.21] GRADE not reported 6 studies · 488 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) 14 to 35 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 14 to 35 days | SMD -2.42 [-3.87, -0.97] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 134 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Propolis concentration: 5% to 10% | SMD -2.16 [-3.81, -0.5] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 147 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Propolis concentration: higher than 10% | SMD -1.15 [-1.77, -0.54] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 50 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: mouthwash | SMD -2.16 [-3.1, -1.22] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 180 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies | SMD -1.02 [-2.42, 0.37] GRADE not reported 6 studies · 292 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies | SMD -1.22 [-1.73, -0.71] GRADE not reported 11 studies · 620 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding studies primarily on gingivitis or periodontitis | SMD -1.44 [-2.49, -0.39] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: gel or solution for subgingival application | SMD -0.25 [-0.93, 0.43] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 60 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: mouthwash | SMD -2.01 [-2.78, -1.24] GRADE not reported 10 studies · 309 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: mouthwash | SMD -2.51 [-3.49, -1.53] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 92 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm Single time point per study (longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days) · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Propolis concentration: higher than 10% | SMD 0.03 [-0.95, 1.01] GRADE not reported 1 study · 16 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding studies primarily on gingivitis or periodontitis | SMD -1.26 [-1.79, -0.73] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: application on carious dentine | SMD -0.21 [-2.16, 1.74] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 76 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) 3 to 7 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 3 to 7 days | SMD -1.1 [-3.31, 1.12] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 90 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) | Plaque index 14 to 35 days · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Observation time: 14 to 35 days | SMD -0.89 [-1.44, -0.33] GRADE not reported 10 studies · 494 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Studies reporting propolis concentration (all concentration subgroups combined) | SMD -1.7 [-2.68, -0.71] GRADE not reported 9 studies · 400 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) | Plaque index Single time point per study (longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days) · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: gel or solution for subgingival application | SMD -0.53 [-1.17, 0.10] GRADE not reported 1 study · 40 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Propolis concentration: lower than 5% | SMD -0.6 [-1.03, -0.17] GRADE not reported 11 studies · 496 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm Single time point per study (longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days) · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies; formulation: tablet or candy | SMD 0.84 [0.30, 1.38] GRADE not reported 1 study · 58 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Formulation: dentifrice | SMD -0.64 [-1.12, -0.16] GRADE not reported 12 studies · 814 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Propolis concentration: lower than 5% | SMD -1.69 [-2.98, -0.4] GRADE not reported 6 studies · 264 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, water or no treatment) | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) 45 to 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 45 to 90 days | SMD -1.78 [-3.05, -0.51] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 176 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm 14 to 35 days · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Observation time: 14 to 35 days | SMD 0.53 [-0.10, 1.16] GRADE not reported 1 study · 40 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Immediately after treatment · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: immediately after treatment | SMD 0.09 [-1.59, 1.77] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 200 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies | SMD -0.05 [-0.49, 0.4] GRADE not reported 5 studies · 137 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) | SMD 0.38 [-0.11, 0.87] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness 7 studies · 370 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding high risk of bias studies | SMD 0.49 [-0.34, 1.32] GRADE not reported 5 studies · 190 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding studies primarily on gingivitis or periodontitis | SMD 0.47 [-0.11, 1.05] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) | SMD 0.46 [-0.04, 0.95] Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness 11 studies · 312 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) 14 to 35 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 14 to 35 days | SMD 0.36 [-0.31, 1.02] GRADE not reported 7 studies · 185 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Sensitivity: excluding studies primarily on gingivitis or periodontitis | SMD 0.34 [-0.32, 1.0] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm 1 to 2 days · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Observation time: 1 to 2 days | SMD 0.41 [-0.48, 1.29] GRADE not reported 1 study · 20 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) 45 to 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 45 to 90 days | SMD 0.08 [-1.04, 1.2] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 150 participants |
| Humans of any age (3 to 60 years), healthy or with caries risk, gingivitis or periodontitis | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, tablet or candy, other) | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index 45 to 90 days · Clinical and in vivo settings (saliva or biofilm sampling) · Observation time: 45 to 90 days | SMD 0.12 [-0.39, 0.62] GRADE not reported 1 study · 60 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Microbial counts in saliva or biofilm (mostly S. mutans; CFU/ml) Longest follow-up not exceeding 90 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation-time stratified analysis, overall (includes one study not in the main analysis) | SMD 0.19 [-0.49, 0.87] GRADE not reported 8 studies · 410 participants |
| People of any age | Propolis-containing formulations (mouthwash, dentifrice, gel, varnish, tablet, other) with no other antimicrobial | Chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Plaque index (surrogate for caries risk) 3 to 7 days · Clinical trials (saliva or biofilm sampling; mostly short-term) · Observation time: 3 to 7 days | SMD 0.87 [-0.32, 2.06] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 67 participants |
Included primary studies 75
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silva 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Aggarwal 2023 To Evaluate the Clinical Efficacy of 940 nm Diode Laser and Propolis Gel (A Natural Product) in Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in… PMID:37694074 | 2023 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dehghani 2019 Effect of Propolis mouthwash on plaque and gingival indices over fixed orthodontic patients. PMID:31001394 | 2019 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Sahu 2023 Efficacy of Sub-Gingivally Delivered Propolis Nanoparticle in Non-Surgical Management of Periodontal Pocket: A Randomized Clinical Trial. PMID:38002260 | 2023 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Seth 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Abreu 2000 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Aggarwal 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Amano 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Amano 2024 Efficacy of toothpaste containing Brazilian green propolis extracts with an optimal kaempferide/betuletol ratio for improving oral… PMID:39214193 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Anani 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Anani 2023 Evaluation of the remineralization and antibacterial effect of natural versus synthetic materials on deep carious dentin: A randomized… PMID:37023336 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Anauate Netto 2013 Effects of typified propolis on mutans streptococci and lactobacilli: a randomized clinical trial. PMID:24494174 | 2013 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Anauate-Netto 2013 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Arjun 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bakery 2023 Effect of Honeybee`s Product (Propolis) Mouth rinse in Inhibition of Plaque Accumulation and Improvement of Gingival Health DOI:10.21608/dsu.2023.15357.1054 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bakery 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bapat 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bapat 2021 Effect of propolis mouth rinse on oral microorganisms - a randomized controlled trial. PMID:33786648 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bhat 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bhat 2015 The antiplaque efficacy of propolis-based herbal toothpaste: A crossover clinical study. PMID:26283831 | 2015 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Biria 2019 Evaluation of Antiplaque Efficacy of a Propolis-Based Herbal Toothpaste: A Single-Blind Parallel Clinical Trail DOI:10.30699/jidai.31.3.126 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Biria 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dehghani 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dodwad 2011 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dodwad 2011 Propolis mouthwash: A new beginning. PMID:21976834 | 2011 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Furtado Junior 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Furtado Junior 2020 Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation of Brazilian Red Propolis Containing-Dentifrice in Orthodontic Patients: A Randomized Clinical… PMID:32063987 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gispert Abreu 2000 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gunjal 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gunjal 2024 Comparative effectiveness of Propolis with chlorhexidine mouthwash on gingivitis - a randomized controlled clinical study. PMID:38582863 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Guru 2019 Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Propolis and Chlorhexidine Mouthwashes on Streptococcus mutans Counts in Saliva: An In Vivo Study DOI:10.5005/jp-journals-10055-0062 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Guru 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Hassan 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Koo 2002 Effects of compounds found in propolis on Streptococcus mutans growth and on glucosyltransferase activity. PMID:11959560 | 2002 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lile 2025 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lile 2025 Comparative Evaluation of Natural Mouthrinses and Chlorhexidine in Dental Plaque Management: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. PMID:40428017 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lisbona-Gonzales 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lisbona-Gonzalez 2021 Effect of Propolis Paste and Mouthwash Formulation on Healing after Teeth Extraction in Periodontal Disease. PMID:34451647 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lotif 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lotif 2022 A double-blind randomized clinical trial of Brazilian red propolis dentifrice efficacy in orthodontic patients. PMID:34955484 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Machorowska-Pieniazek 2013 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Machorowska-Pieniazek 2013 Influence of propolis on hygiene, gingival condition, and oral microflora in patients with cleft lip and palate treated with fixed… PMID:23762106 | 2013 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Machorowska-Pieniazek 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Machorowska-Pieniazek 2016 Effects of Brazilian Propolis on Dental Plaque and Gingiva in Patients with Oral Cleft Malformation Treated with Multibracket and… PMID:27672397 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Martins 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Martins 2020 Effect of xylitol tablets with and without red propolis on salivary parameters, dental biofilm and sensory acceptability of adolescents: a… PMID:33334195 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Murray 1997 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Murray 1997 A study to investigate the effect of a propolis-containing mouthrinse on the inhibition of de novo plaque formation. PMID:9402499 | 1997 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Naggar 2021 Effect of Propolis and Pomegranate Extract Mouthwashes on Taste Alteration, Salivary pH and Antibacterial Activity in High Caries Risk… DOI:10.37506/ijphrd.v12i3.16105 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Naggar 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Neto 2021 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Neto 2021 Antimicrobial Efficacy of Propolis-Containing Varnish in Children: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial. PMID:33986816 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Niedzielska 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Niedzielska 2016 The Influence of Ethanolic Extract of Brazilian Green Propolis Gel on Hygiene and Oral Microbiota in Patients after Mandible Fractures. PMID:27595110 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Porwal 2018 Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Chlorhexidine Gluconate, Raw Propolis and Hydrogen Peroxide on Dental Plaque and Gingival… DOI:10.3126/jnspoi.v2i1.23603 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Porwal 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Prabhakar 2015 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Prabhakar 2015 Cavity disinfection in minimally invasive dentistry - comparative evaluation of Aloe vera and propolis: A randomized clinical trial. PMID:25821369 | 2015 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pundir 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pundir 2017 One-stage Full Mouth Disinfection Using 20% Propolis Hydroalcoholic Solution: A Clinico-microbiologic Study. PMID:29042728 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Raman 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ranjan 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Sahu 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Salari 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Salari 2023 Comparative evaluation of mouthwashes containing propolis and chlorhexidine for controlling inflammation resulting from plaque… PMID:38357338 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Santiago 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Santiago 2018 Microbiological control and antibacterial action of a propolis-containing mouthwash and control of dental plaque in humans. PMID:28641462 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Seth 2022 Comparative evaluation of subgingival irrigation with propolis extract versus chlorhexidine as an adjunct to scaling and root planing for… PMID:35321296 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Silva 2024 Biomarkers of Orthodontic Patients After Use of 1% Brazilian Red Propolis Toothpaste: A Randomized Clinical Study. PMID:39055298 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Soekanto 2018 The effect of propolis honey candy on Streptococcus mutans prevalence in caries and caries-free subjects DOI:10.1063/1.5023952 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Soekanto 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Tanasiewicz 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Tanasiewicz 2012 Influence of hygienic preparations with a 3% content of ethanol extract of Brazilian propolis on the state of the oral cavity. PMID:23214304 | 2012 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Uday Mohan 2016 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Uday Mohan 2016 In vivo comparison of cavity disinfection efficacy with APF gel, Propolis, Diode Laser, and 2% chlorhexidine in primary teeth. PMID:27041900 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Human participants of any age | Patients aged 3 to 60 years (n=1,748 in 40 studies); healthy, gingivitis, periodontitis, orthodontic and caries-risk populations |
| Intervention | Propolis extract or propolis-containing formulations with no other antimicrobial substance | Propolis mouthwashes (18 studies), dentifrices (14), cavity application solutions or gels (3), tablets or candy (2), subgingival gel or solution (2), varnish (1) |
| Comparison | Negative control (propolis-free formulation, saline, distilled water or no treatment) or chlorhexidine-containing formulations | Negative control (placebo, saline, water, no treatment) and chlorhexidine |
| Outcomes | Caries indices, plaque indices and microbial counts in saliva or biofilm | Plaque index (28 studies in meta-analysis) and microbial counts (14 studies); direct caries outcomes in 1 study (not pooled) |
| Study designs | Randomized controlled trials | 40 RCTs in the review (33 parallel, 7 crossover); 37 in the meta-analysis |
| Timing | Not specified | Single or repeated use; follow-up from immediately after application to 90 days (mean longest follow-up 24.55 days) |
AMSTAR 2 items
Two independent extractors rated each item. Their ratings are shown side by side because they have not been reconciled yet. The overall rating follows Shea et al. 2017: one critical flaw gives Low, more than one gives Critically Low.
| Item | Extractor A | Extractor B | Agree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Research question includes PICO components | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 2Protocol established before the reviewcritical | Partial Yes | Yes | no |
| 3Choice of study designs explained | No | Yes | no |
| 4Comprehensive literature searchcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 5Study selection in duplicate | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 6Data extraction in duplicate | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 7List of excluded studies with reasonscritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 8Included studies described in detail | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 9Risk of bias assessed satisfactorilycritical | RCT: Yes · NRSI: N/A | RCT: Yes · NRSI: N/A | yes |
| 10Funding of included studies reported | No | No | yes |
| 11Appropriate meta-analysis methodscritical | RCT: Yes · NRSI: N/A | RCT: Yes · NRSI: N/A | yes |
| 12Impact of risk of bias on the pooled results | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 13Risk of bias accounted for in interpretationcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 14Heterogeneity explained | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 15Publication bias investigatedcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 16Conflicts of interest reported | Yes | Yes | yes |
| Overall | Moderate | High | no |