Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 60, Issue 5, September–October 2015, Pages e151-e152
Dental Abstracts

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Probiotics

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2014.08.053Get rights and content

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Background

Dental caries is a common preventable disease that affects people of all ages. The ecologic balance of the tooth surface is altered, which eventually leads to the loss of tooth mineral. Endogenous acidogenic bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans, S sobrinus, and Lactobacillus spp, produce organic acids that demineralize hard tissues and combine with host and nutrient factors to cause caries. Currently preventive strategies are designed to address host, dietary, and plaque biofilm factors

Methods

The electronic search involved the PubMed MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. A total of 19 articles were identified, but only 2 presented useful data on the incidence of caries, so the focus was altered to counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli. All studies had outcome measures of these counts or the prevalence of patients having low, medium, or high counts of one or the other of these microorganisms. Nine studies failed to identify the time between brushing

Results

Twelve studies noted a significant reduction in mutans streptococci with the use of a probiotic. One control group reported a fall in mutans streptococci counts, but that group also had pretreatment with a chlorhexidine mouthwash. Four studies noted no significant difference in mutans streptococci counts, although one reported a tendency for a reduction in this measure. None of the studies reported an increase in mutans streptococci for individuals who used probiotics. In 3 studies with

Discussion

The data suggest that probiotics may positively affect the risk for caries in individuals. They may serve as a preventive method, reducing in particular mutans streptococci counts.

Clinical Significance

Significantly more patients who took probiotic agents had low mutans streptococci, and significantly fewer patients had high counts. No significant effect was seen on the lactobacilli counts, however. The positive effect of probiotics is likely to be limited to the time they are being used, so

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Laleman I, Detailleur V, Slot DE, et al: Probiotics reduce mutans streptococci counts in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Invest 18:1539-1552, 2014

Reprints available from W Teughels, Dept of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven & Dentistry, Univ Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; e-mail: [email protected]

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