An In Vitro Study of Different Types of Greek Honey as Potential Natural Antimicrobials against Dental Caries and Other Oral Pathogenic Microorganisms. Case Study Simulation of Oral Cavity Conditions

Abstract

To study the antibacterial effect of different Greek honeys, samples of citrus honey, Saturja spp. Honey, and oregano and sage honey were collected directly from producers. Manuka honey and artificial honey were used as controls. The honeys were diluted in various concentrations to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and were also placed in agar wells to determine the inhibitory zones of growth. The bacteria tested were two reference strains and five pathogens isolated from patients with various dental ailments. A series of samples were diluted with artificial saliva instead of distilled water to simulate the conditions in the oral cavity. The results show that in most cases the Greek honeys, and particularly the citrus honey and the oregano and sage honey, outperformed the antibacterial activity of manuka honey against all tested bacteria. This performance was due to the hydrogen peroxide as well as to other components of the honeys, that is, peptides and other substances such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Artificial saliva enhanced the antibacterial effect of the honeys in comparison to distilled water.