Natural Compounds in Oral Microbiota Modulation and Caries Prevention: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Microbiology
• Natural product chemistry

Background:

• Natural product components can help maintain oral microbiota balance, promoting oral health.
• Identifying natural components with anticariogenic properties is crucial for developing preventive strategies against dental caries.
• Existing evidence from in vivo studies needs systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review in vivo studies identifying natural components with anticariogenic properties.
• To analyze the impact of these natural components on oral microbiota and dental caries.
• To assess the overall evidence for the efficacy of natural products in preventing dental caries.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Literature search across multiple databases for English-language studies (2013-2025).
• Inclusion of intervention and comparative studies on natural components affecting oral health in participants of all ages.

Main Results:

• 77 studies, primarily clinical trials in pediatric populations, were included.
• Commonly studied components: probiotics, plant extracts, sugar substitutes, propolis, arginine, dairy products.
• Significant effects reported on biological risk factors (72.8%); 16.9% of studies showed a statistically significant reduction in dental caries.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary evidence suggests natural compounds can modulate cariogenic factors.
• Further high-quality studies are required to strengthen the evidence base.
• The review protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework.