The efficacy of propolis fluoride for arresting dentine caries in primary teeth

Abstract

According to Indonesia Basic Health Research, among the 28.9% of children aged 5-9 years with dental problems in 2013, only 35.1% received treatment. Dental caries had the highest prevalence among these problems, leading to the recognition that easy to apply and affordable treatment options were needed. In this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of propolis fluoride in arresting dentine caries in the primary teeth of first- and second-grade students in an elementary school in South Tangerang over a three-month period. The study design was quasi-experimental and we used purposive sampling. In total, 105 subjects with active surface dentine caries had their teeth smeared with propolis fluoride. The Friedman test and post-hoc analysis (Wilcoxon test) were then used to identify any significant differences between evaluations at baseline and those after one and three months. Evaluations at one and three months showed that 70% and 66.5% of surface dentine caries were arrested, respectively. In conclusion, propolis fluoride can arrest the progression of dentine caries for three months.