title: Effect of honey in preventing gingivitis and dental caries in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO INVESTIGATE THE FOLLOWING: (1) the effects of chewing honey on plaque formation in orthodontic patients, (2) the effect of chewing honey on dental plaque bacterial counts, (3) determine if honey possesses antibacterial effects on bacteria recovered from plaques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female orthodontic patients (n = 20, 12-18 years of age) participated in this randomized controlled study. The effects of honey were compared to treatment with either 10% sucrose or 10% sorbitol that served as positive and negative controls, respectively. The pH of plaque was measured using a digital pH meter prior to baseline and at 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min after chewing honey or rinsing with control solutions and the numbers of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacilli, and Prophymonas gingivalis in respective plaques were determined. The antibacterial activity of honey was tested against commonly used antibiotics using the disk diffusion method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences in pH were observed in the honey and sucrose groups compared to the pH observed in the sorbitol group (p ⩽ 0.001). The maximum pH drop occurred at 5 min in both the honey and sucrose groups; however the pH in the honey group rapidly recovered 10-20 min after exposure and did not drop below the critical decalcification pH of 5.5. On the other hand, the pH following sucrose exposure fell <5.5 and was associated with a 30 min recovery time. The pH observed for the sorbitol group did not change over time. Bacterial counts were significantly reduced in the honey group compared to the other treatment groups (p ⩽ 0.001) and honey significantly inhibited the growth of all studied strains compared to inhibition observed with antibiotics (p ⩽ 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Honey can be used as an alternative to traditional remedies for the prevention of dental caries and gingivitis following orthodontic treatment.
authors: Orthodontic Department, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Al-Dany A
authors: AD
authors: Atwa
authors: Orthodontic Department, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Ramadan Y
authors: RY
authors: AbuShahba
authors: The Regional Center for Myology and Biotechnology, Culture and Sensitivity Unit, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Marwa
authors: M
authors: Mostafa
authors: Dental Health Department, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia ; Dental Biomaterial Department, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Mohamed I
authors: MI
authors: Hashem
keywords: Bacterial counting; Honey; Orthodontic treatment; Plaque control; pH measurement