# Histological Evaluation of Chemo Mechanical Caries Removal with a Babaco-Based Formulation Gel

## TL;DR

A gel made from babaco fruit was found to be more effective than traditional methods for removing dental caries.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel babaco-based gel as a more effective chemomechanical caries removal method.

## Key findings

- Babaco gel achieved a 78% success rate in caries removal compared to 14% with conventional methods.
- Distillation-extracted babaco gel showed the best performance with statistically significant results.
- The gel softened decayed tissue effectively, supporting its potential as a chemical-mechanical alternative.

## Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of a babaco-based gel derived from an endemic Ecuadorian fruit for chemomechanical caries removal compared to the conventional non-rotary mechanical method. Babaco contains proteolytic enzymes that soften decayed dental tissue, making it a potential alternative for caries treatment. An ex vivo experimental study was carried out using sixty extracted human teeth, each divided into two sections: one treated with babaco gel and the other with a spoon excavator. Four extraction methods (maceration, distillation, Soxhlet, and percolation) were used to prepare the gel. After rehydration and submersion in nitric acid, an oral pathologist evaluated the efficacy of caries removal. Results showed a 78% success rate for the babaco-treated sections, significantly higher than the 14% success rate for the conventional method. The distillation-extracted gel subgroup performed best at p < 0.01 Fisher Chi2. The study concluded that babaco gel is more effective for caries removal than traditional methods, highlighting its potential as a chemical-mechanical alternative.