Propolis in Oral Health Care By J. Fearnley and P. Wander

Propolis is effectively the bee colonies’ external immune defence mechanism. Honey bees collect resin from trees and plants and transform it in the hive adding wax to create propolis, an astonishingly versatile material which both provides structural support and a clinically sterile environment inside the hive. It has been used as a medicine by man since Egyptian times.

Recent research indicates that bees ‘know’ exactly what chemicals to collect to deal with the dominant environmental challenges they face in their area - the same challenges which human beings face in the same environment. For example bees in Savannah environments have been found to produce chemicals active against trypanosomes the critical element in Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), a condition particularly prevalent in Africa.

About the Authors

James Fearnley is an acknowledged world authority on propolis. He is author of Bee Propolis: Natural Healing from the Hive (Souvenir Press 2001) and has been responsible for numerous peer review research papers on the pharmacological properties of propolis. Research has been carried out at the Universities of Oxford, Birmingham, Strathclyde and Bradford.

Dr.Munir Ravalia qualified from the Royal London hospital in 2002. During his various hospital postings he was awarded the The Membership of the Faculty of Dental surgeons. He has a medical diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy and has a passion for the utilisation of natural remedies for patients.

Dr Philip Wander is one of the UK’s leading exponents of holistic dentistry and has pioneered the use of propolis in a variety of applications over the last 20 years. He is a founder and present President of the British Homeopathic Dental Association. Philip has written extensively on natural and holistic approaches to oral healthcare. He is also one of the UK’s leading dental photographers.