title: Efficacy of a sugar-free herbal lollipop for reducing salivary Streptococcus mutans levels: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of an herbal lollipop containing licorice root extract on salivary Streptococcus mutans in caries-free and high-caries-risk children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in caries-free and high-caries-risk children, aged 5-11 years (n = 108). The groups were caries-free children (group A); high-caries-risk children whose dental treatment was completed before lollipop use (group B); and high-caries-risk children who did not comply with dental treatment (group C). The groups were divided into two subgroups: herbal (A-1, B-1, C-1) and placebo lollipops (A-2, B-2, C-2). Saliva samples were taken before dental treatment, before and after consuming lollipops, and at 3 months after consuming lollipops. The results were statistically analyzed with chi-squared test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only in group C-1 (high-risk, using herbal lollipops) that significant reduction was observed in salivary S. mutans levels after lollipop use (p = 0.033), and only in the same group (C-1), there was significant difference between after lollipop use and third month levels (p = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herbal lollipops could be recommended to children with high-caries risk who do not comply with dental treatment in place of high-carbohydrate snacks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper provides a perspective on using herbal products in high-risk children for reducing salivary S. mutans counts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey. dt.merveerkmen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Merve Erkmen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Almaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey.
authors.forename: Işıl Şaroğlu
authors.initials: IŞ
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ökte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aylin Akbay
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Oba
mesh_terms: D002182:Candy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006035:Glycyrrhiza; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Dental caries; Herbal therapy; Licorice; Saliva; Streptococcus mutans