Effect of Propolis mouthwash on clinical periodontal parameters in patients with gingivitis: A double‐blinded randomized clinical trial

Objectives Periodontal diseases have multifactorial aetiology and are primarily caused by pathogenic bacteria. Using antibacterial mouthwashes as an adjunct to mechanical plaque control can effectively improve the quality of oral hygiene maintenance at home. This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of a propolis‐containing mouthwash in gingivitis treatment. Methods This clinical trial evaluated 32 patients with gingivitis in two groups (n=16). The intervention group received a mouthwash containing propolis extract while the control group received the same mouthwash without the propolis extract. The papillary bleeding index (PBI), plaque index (PI) and tooth discoloration were evaluated in each patient at baseline (before the intervention) and at 15 and 30 days, after treatment. To facilitate the follow‐up evaluations, the measurements were recorded for the tooth with the most inflamed gingiva in each quadrant (n = 128). The two groups were compared using the Mann‐Whitney test. Results The change in PI was 85.19 ± 51.6% in the propolis and 83.93 ± 36.1% in the placebo group with no significant difference between them (p = 0.91). The reduction in papillary bleeding index was significantly greater in the propolis group compared with the placebo group (p