Effect of a Propolis Tablet on the Saliva and the Amount of Adolescent Dental Plaque Microbes

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a xylitol containing propolis tablet on the salivary pH, total microorganisms count and soluble and insoluble extracellular polysaccharide concentration of the dental biofilm of adolescents in a randomized controlled clinical trial. In addition, evaluate the acceptability of the individuals regarding the characteristics of the tablets (appearance, taste, aroma and texture) through a questionnaire. To that end, healthy adolescents between 10 and 19 years old, without active carious lesions, who seek care at the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) will be randomly assigned to the two groups of the study: control group (propolis- consumers of tablets with propolis), respecting an interval of 30 days of rest between the consumption of the tablets. The study will be cross-checked and the principal investigator will be blind. The tablets will be given to the participants on an exact number of days of use and they will be instructed to consume two tablets per day for 7 uninterrupted days. After 30 days of interval, they will consume the other type of tablet with the same recommendations of the first one. The total non-stimulated saliva collection will be performed at the beginning of the study (before the consumption of the tablets) and 7 days after the intervention of each type of tablet, as well as the collection of the dental biofilm. Saliva and biofilm samples from all individuals will be identified and later analyzed in the laboratory, on the same day of collection, to measure the salivary pH, with the aid of a phmeter, and evaluation of the growth of total microorganisms (CFU / mg biofilm ), respectively. From the biofilm collected and stored in saline, concentrations of soluble and insoluble extracellular polysaccharides will also be measured by means of a spectrophotometer. Statistical tests will be used to compare the groups, with a significance level of 5%. As r