'Propolis Versus Chlorhexidine Gluconate on Wound Healing After Third Molar Surgery: a Randomized Controlled Trial'

Clinical Evaluation Of The Effects Of Propolis Gargle On Wound Healing After Impacted Third Molar Surgery

The goal of this study is to examine the effects of propolis gargle on wound healing following third molar surgery and to compare it with chlorhexidine gluconate. The main question it aims to answer is:

Is propolis-containing gargle safe and effective alternative to chlorhexidine gluconate following impacted third molar surgery? Does propolis demonstrate comparable outcomes in pain control and mouth opening ?

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Post Operative Analgesia; Third Molar Surgery
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Third molar Surgery with propolis gargle; Procedure: Third molar surgery with chlorhexidine gluconate

Detailed Description

This prospective, randomized clinical study included 52 healthy patients (ASA I) who underwent impacted mandibular third molar surgery. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: one group used 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate gargle, while the other used a 3% propolis-containing gargle. Gargles were applied twice daily for one minute from postoperative day 2 to day 7. Pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), while edema, maximum mouth opening, wound healing, and postoperative complications were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 52
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Yakutiye
    • Erzurum, Yakutiye, Turkey (Türkiye), 25240
      • Atatürk University Faculty of Dentistry

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of the impacted teeth were classified as Class II level B mesioangular position
• Patients from a socioeconomic level who can actively use postoperative gargles

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with third molars exhibiting acute infection
• smokers
• pregnant women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Propolis gargle; Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: one group used 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate gargle, while the other used a 3% propolis-containing gargle. Gargles were applied twice daily for one minute from postoperative day 2 to day 7. Pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), while edema, maximum mouth opening, wound healing, and postoperative complications were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7.	Procedure: Third molar Surgery with propolis gargle; The patients were anesthetized with inferior alveolar, lingual, and buccal nerve blocks using 4 ml of articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine (Ultracaine D-S Fort, Aventis). The tooth could be observed by elevating a full-thickness triangular mucoperiosteal flap. The tooth was extracted following an osteotomy using a bur. The tooth was sectioned and extracted, if required. Curettage was conducted in the presence of a residual dental follicle. The wound was sutured with silk thread. All procedures were conducted by the same physician. Postoperatively, antibiotics (amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid, 2 g daily for 5 days) and analgesics (paracetamol 1 g, up to 4 times daily for 3 days) were recommended. The group was administered a 3% propolis gargle (formulated in an ethanol solution, twice daily for 1 minute, prepared in the Departments of Pharmacology.
Active Comparator: Chlorhexidine Gluconate gargle; Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: one group used 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate gargle, while the other used a 3% propolis-containing gargle. Gargles were applied twice daily for one minute from postoperative day 2 to day 7. Pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), while edema, maximum mouth opening, wound healing, and postoperative complications were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7.	Procedure: Third molar surgery with chlorhexidine gluconate; The patients were anesthetized with inferior alveolar, lingual, and buccal nerve blocks using 4 ml of articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine (Ultracaine D-S Fort, Aventis). The tooth could be observed by elevating a full-thickness triangular mucoperiosteal flap. The tooth was extracted following an osteotomy using a bur. The tooth was sectioned and extracted, if required. Curettage was conducted in the presence of a residual dental follicle. The wound was sutured with silk thread. All procedures were conducted by the same physician. Postoperatively, antibiotics (amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid, 2 g daily for 5 days) and analgesics (paracetamol 1 g, up to 4 times daily for 3 days) were recommended. The group was administered chlorhexidine gluconate (0.12%) gargle, twice daily for 1 minute.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Edema	Edema (assessed by measuring the distances between the tragus and lip corner, as well as the outer corner of the eye and mandibular corner, with measurements taken twice using a paper ruler and averaged), It was measured before surgery, after surgery second and seventh days.	Before surgery to after surgery seventh day
Pain after surgery	Patient records were collected on the second and seventh days post-operation. The evaluated parameters included pain (measured using the VAS scale). Visual analog scale is used to measure pain intensity. It consists of a straight line usually 10 cm. 0: no pain, 10: worst pain imaginable. The patient marks the point that best represents their pain.	After surgery, post- op second and seventh day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximum mouth opening	Maximum mouth opening (the distance between the lower and upper incisors) were measured before surgery and after surgery second and seventh day.	Before surgery to post surgery seventh day
Wound aperture	Wound aperture after surgery was examined for two groups	From surgery to seventh day after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ataturk University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 5, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 3, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): January 7, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 16, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 29, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: chlorhexidine gluconate; third molar surgery; propolis gargle
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: chlorhexidine gluconate
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2020/3-4

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No