Propolis (also called bee glue) is a resinous substance derived from bees. It has long been used in medicine for its beneficial properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and local anaesthetic effects. In dentistry, propolis has been used for the prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases, as an interim transport medium for avulsed teeth, and in endodontics, orthodontics and periodontics. The role of propolis is discussed in various branches of dentistry, including: preventive dentistry, dental traumatology, endodontics, periodontology, orthodontics and oral oncology. Although most research published in the dental literature on propolis is based on in-vitro studies or animal studies, extrapolating the results of these present studies to clinical practice may be too early as these results may not be necessarily replicated in human trials. In future, propolis may find a definitive role in one or more applications in dentistry; however, clinical trials are necessary to isolate the individual components responsible for its beneficial effects and to study them.
)