Innovative Application of Probiotic Bacteria to Reduce Dental Plaque in Dogs: A Pilot Study

Periodontal disease is highly prevalent in dogs and is closely associated with the composition and functional characteristics of the oral microbiome. However, clinical evidence regarding the efficacy of targeted canine probiotics in preventing post-procedural plaque accumulation remains critically limited, representing a significant knowledge gap in veterinary dentistry. In this randomized pilot study, the aim was to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic supplementation in reducing dental calculus accumulation and alleviating clinical signs of oral inflammation in dogs. Statistically significant differences were observed between the study and control groups for all evaluated oral health parameters. The Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) was considerably lower in the probiotic-treated group than in the control group (p = 0.008). Similarly, significant differences were found for the Dental Plaque Index (p = 0.020) and the Dental Calculus Index (p = 0.018). These results indicate that, after 56 days of probiotic administration, the dogs receiving the probiotic preparation exhibited noticeably better oral health than those in the control group. These observed clinical effects may be consistent with mechanisms proposed in the previous probiotic literature, such as competitive inhibition of biofilm-forming bacteria; however, direct microbiome modulation was not experimentally assessed in this study. The results suggest that probiotic supplementation may represent a promising adjunctive strategy in canine dental prophylaxis by limiting dental calculus accumulation and reducing clinical signs of oral inflammation. These findings provide preliminary clinical evidence of a potential adjunctive benefit, suggesting that post-procedural probiotic administration may support plaque control and help alleviate early signs of oral inflammation in dogs.