Synbiotics in caries prevention: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Microbiology
• Preventive Dentistry

Background:

• Dental caries remains a significant global oral health issue.
• Synbiotics, combining probiotics and prebiotics, are explored for their potential in managing oral microbiota.
• Evidence on synbiotics for caries prevention requires thorough examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of existing evidence on synbiotics for dental caries prevention.
• To identify and assess the quality of studies investigating synbiotic interventions in caries prevention.
• To determine the current state of research regarding synbiotics' efficacy in preventing caries.

Main Methods:

• Searched PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies.
• Included in vitro studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and narrative reviews.
• Extracted data based on a pre-approved registered protocol.

Main Results:

• Five in vitro studies, one quasi-experimental clinical trial, and one narrative review were included.
• No controlled clinical trials or systematic reviews specifically on synbiotics for caries prevention were found.
• In vitro studies primarily focused on saccharides and Lactobacillus spp., with mixed results on synbiotic eligibility. One study investigated L-arginine and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.
• The quasi-experimental study lacked detail on intervention composition, and the narrative review suggested potential for arginine-based synbiotics.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence for synbiotics in caries prevention is weak, primarily due to the absence of controlled clinical studies.
• The eligibility and definition of 'synbiotic' in existing research need careful consideration.
• Further research, particularly controlled clinical trials combining amino acids (like arginine) with probiotics, is necessary to establish their role in preventing dental caries.