The implication of probiotics in the prevention of dental caries

Abstract

The current oral health crisis, whose causes are varied and complex, necessitates timely oral evaluation and early detection and treatment of oral health problems. Dramatic changes in eating habits and lifestyles are associated with the recent decline in oral health. Probiotics are "good" bacteria that support digestion and a healthy immune system and offer various health benefits to the host. Traditionally, probiotics have been used to improve gut health; the most common uses have historically been as a treatment or prevention of gastrointestinal infections and disease. During the last decade, studies have additionally suggested the intake of probiotics for oral health purposes. Probiotic use provides an effective strategy to combat oral disease, including the development of dental caries and periodontal infection. The aim of this review is to describe the beneficial roles of probiotic bacteria in the oral cavity and the potential mechanisms by which these bacteria exert their effects on oral health.

Interspecies Inhibition of Porphyromonas gingivalis by Yogurt-Derived Lactobacillus delbrueckii Requires Active Pyruvate Oxidase

“…Commonly found in yogurts and other fermented foods, many Lactobacillus strains are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use in specific food productions. Use of probiotic Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species is just beginning to be explored in the oral cavity (11)(12)(13)(14). Several recent studies have examined the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of dental caries.…”

Effect of Short-term Probiotic Yogurt Consumption on Caries Risk Factors in Infants

“…It is well known that the dynamics of immature microbiota colonization of infants can be changed with diet to the benefit of oral health (21). During the last decades, an intake of probiotics has been suggested to prevent dental caries (22). However, oral probiotic bacteria colonization in the oral cavity were defined as temporary.…”

Annual review of selected scientific literature: A report of the Committee on Scientific Investigation of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry

“…Oral probiotic therapy should be considered an alternative approach for deterring oral biofilm development and reducing the cascade of harmful immune-inflammatory reactions. 375 The mechanisms by which probiotics reestablish ecological balance within oral biofilms are not completely understood. However, probiotic bacteria are believed to have both systemic and direct local effects.…”