Evaluation of effect of consumption of probiotics on the gingival and periodontal health status in children undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: Probiotics consist of live microbes. They do not have any adverse effects on health. They provide nutritive benefits to individuals when ingested in adequate quantities. The most common oral infections of the oral cavity are those affecting the periodontal and dental tissues. Aims and Objectives: 1) To evaluate the antimicrobial role of oral probiotics against microorganisms involved in infections of periodontal and dental tissues. 2) To evaluate the state of health of gingival and periodontal tissues of children undergoing chemotherapy after the use of oral probiotics. Materials and Methods: 60 children, between the age group of 3 and 15 years, undergoing chemotherapy were randomly distributed under control and probiotics administered test group for 90 days. The gingival, periodontal, and oral hygiene statuses were evaluated along with their caries activity test. The parameters were measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days intervals. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 18.0. Results: The oral probiotics consumption significantly reduced the plaque accumulation between days of observation among those in the treatment group (P < 0.05). There was a significant improvement in the gingival and periodontal status in the tested group (P < 0.05). Snyder test was conducted to assess caries activity. Score 1 was found in 10 children, score 2 in eight children. Score 3 was not found in any child under the study group. Conclusion: The results show that the regular consumption of oral probiotics significantly reduces plaque accumulation, calculus formation, and caries activity among the test group.

The Effect of Oral Care Foams and a Spray on Salivary pH Changes after Exposure to Acidic Beverages in Young Adults

“…There is some evidence that topical probiotics may increase salivary flow rate [97,98]. Also, probiotics have been reported to decrease plaque formation [99][100][101][102][103][104].…”

Antigingivitis and Antiplaque Effects of Oral Probiotic Containing the Streptococcus salivarius M18 Strain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…In their study, at 30 days, both groups showed a statistically significant reduction in bleeding on probing; the changes were more pronounced in the probiotic group [ 69 ]. In a study by Hambire and Hambire, there was a significant improvement in the gingival status of children undergoing chemotherapy in the test group after the 90-day use of oral probiotics [ 70 ].…”

“…In clinical settings, the extent of oral biofilm accumulation may be assessed using oral hygiene indices. Many studies reported a reduction in plaque scores according to hygienic indices alongside a reduction in gingival inflammation [ 18 , 19 , 70 ]. In our study, we observed a significant reduction in TQHPI scores in the probiotic group with the effect size of 0.55, while no significant changes were registered in the placebo group.…”

Impact of Microbial Intake for Gums and Periodontal Health in Children Receiving Chemotherapy

“…Probiotics ultimately stimulate the innate immune response in humans and modify their immunological processes, including both cellular and humoral components 6 . Lactogenic bacteria may alter immunological competent cells such as T cells and macrophages 7 . This might potentially affect the generation of cytokines in these cells, which in turn may have an effect on the overall immunological response of people.…”