Effect of bergamot oil on the physicomechanical properties of PMMA: An in vitro study

Denture-induced stomatitis is a common condition that occurs beneath a denture due to unhygienic dental practices. Bergamot oil is extracted from a lemon hybrid and is a natural antifungal agent. This study incorporated bergamot oil into a PMMA resin matrix to evaluate its physicomechanical effects on the matrix. Results showed that bergamot oil had no adverse effect on the matrix: there were insignificant flexural strength and hardness changes. Also, the color of the matrix remained unchanged for four weeks! Our results prove that incorporating bergamot oil in a PMMA resin matrix can be an effective antifungal agent to prevent denture-induced stomatitis without causing any depreciation in the quality and shelf-life of the denture.