Evaluation of probiotics' efficiency on cariogenic bacteria: randomized controlled clinical study

Area of Science:

• Oral Health Research
• Microbiology
• Pediatric Dentistry

Background:

• Probiotics, beneficial live bacteria, are being investigated for their impact on oral health.
• The effectiveness of probiotics in managing oral bacteria after comprehensive dental caries treatment remains an area of study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of probiotic supplementation on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus species levels.
• To compare bacterial counts in pediatric patients undergoing dental caries treatment under general anesthesia, with and without probiotic use.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 58 pediatric patients who received dental caries treatment under general anesthesia.
• Patients were divided into two groups: one receiving probiotics post-treatment (Group A) and a control group (Group B).
• Saliva samples were collected pre-treatment (T0) and at one, three, and six months post-treatment (T1, T2, T3) for real-time PCR analysis of bacterial counts.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in Streptococcus mutans levels was observed in the probiotic group compared to the control group at all follow-up points (p < 0.05).
• No statistically significant difference was found in Lactobacillus species counts between the probiotic and control groups (p ≥ 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Probiotic supplementation, in conjunction with comprehensive dental caries treatment, effectively reduces Streptococcus mutans levels.
• The use of probiotics did not show a significant effect on Lactobacillus species levels in the studied pediatric population.