Background and Aim: In recent years, the use of herbal oral care products has been taken into consideration for reducing dental plaque accumulation. Propolis has been widely used in medicine due to its multiple biological properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiplaque efficacy of an herbal toothpaste containing propolis in comparison with a control group. Materials and Methods: This single-blind parallel clinical trial was conducted among 60 dental students. The baseline plaque index was evaluated using a plaque indicator one hour after brushing without toothpaste. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (A) herbal toothpaste with propolis, and (B) herbal toothpaste without propolis. After four weeks, the plaque index was reexamined and recorded. Quantitative variables were analyzed by independent t-test, and the mean and standard deviation (SD) were reported. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean plaque index differences were not significant between the two groups at the beginning of the study, while there was a significant difference after four weeks (P˂0.001). The results signify an approximate 1.7-unit reduction in the mean plaque index of subjects using toothpaste with propolis in comparison with a 0.7-unit reduction in subjects using toothpaste without propolis. Conclusion: The herbal toothpaste containing propolis was more effective in reducing plaque accumulation in comparison with the control group. Considering the effect of propolis-containing toothpastes on the reduction of dental plaque accumulation, these can be used as an effective oral hygiene product.
Background and Aim: Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation has been suggested as an effective method of cavity preparation and surface treatment to enhance the bond strength. The aim of this study was to assess the microshear bond strength of Fuji II LC glass ionomer (GI) cement to primary dentin following bur preparation and Er,Cr:YSGG irradiation. Materials and Methods: This in vitro, experimental study was conducted on 20 extracted primary canine teeth. After debris removal, the teeth were sectioned buccolingually and divided into two groups. In group 1, the exposed dentin surface was prepared by fissure bur; while in group 2, the dentin surface was subjected to Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation with 2 W power and 80% air and 50% water. Fuji II LC GI cement was applied. After 24 h of storage, the samples were subjected to microshear bond strength test in a microtensile tester. The bond strength values in the two groups were compared using Student t-test. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) microshear bond strength of GI to dentin was 15.36±2.98 MPa in the laser and 4.86±1.36 MPa in the bur group. The mean microshear bond strength in the laser group was significantly higher than that in the bur group (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Irradiation of Er,Cr:YSGG laser with 2 W power increases the microshear bond strength of Fuji II LC GI to primary dentin, and is superior to bur preparation for this purpose.
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