1- What are probiotics?
2- What types of probiotics are there?
3- What are they used for?
4- Is it an effective treatment?
What are probiotics?
Probiotics have been defined by the World Health Organization as live microorganisms that produce a beneficial effect when administered in adequate amounts. They are used to restore the balance in the patient’s oral microbiota.
Although their main function in medicine is to treat gastrointestinal pathologies, it has recently been discovered that they also have numerous benefits for the oral cavity.
What types of probiotics are there?
Within the category of probiotics there are multiple types and strains. The most used in the dental area is Lactobacillus reuteri, but we also find Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus brevis.
What are they used for?
First of all, they have the ability to bind nutrients to the mouth and prevent bacterial growth. That is, they can produce a biofilm that prevents pathogens from accessing the tissues housed in the mouth.
On the other hand, some probiotics help to reestablish homeostasis or topical equilibrium. For this reason, the administration of probiotics is often effective in cases of caries, periodontal diseases or halitosis.
In summary, their main functions are:
– Immunological: on the one hand, they increase CD4+T helper and IgA and, on the other hand, they increase the barrier function.
– Reduction of inflammation.
– Avoidance of pathogenic bacteria: produce antimicrobial compounds in the future.
Is it an effective treatment?
There are currently multiple studies that show that the treatment of dysbiosis through the administration of probiotics can produce significant changes in the composition of the oral microbiota in the short term. These modifications can be direct, such as a reduction in the number of pathogens, or indirect, since they enhance the growth of healthy microorganisms.
However, it is necessary to make the patient aware of the commitment to the treatment, since probiotics should be ingested daily for at least 5 weeks.