Eric Metchnikoff proposed that people who consumed fermented food containing lactic acid bacteria lived longer and stronger. No guesses on why people from Bulgaria, Korea have a healthy and longer life. Good bacteria can eliminate toxins and free radicals that can damage skin and cause early signs of aging. They can fight bad bacteria linked to leaky gut, inflammation throughout body, including blotchy and old-looking skin.
We are looking at the live bacteria when administered in an adequate amount in food can confer loads of health benefits to the host. These are called ‘Probiotics’ unlike antibiotics (one which kills bacteria)and can strengthen the immune system to combat allergies, stress, exposure to toxic substances, and other diseases. In the oral cavity, they can alter the surrounding environment by first integrating into the salivary biofilm, then modifying the pH, and finally compromise the ability of other harmful pathogens to get established. Indirectly they can enhance local immunity and cause alteration in mucosal permeability acting as antioxidants, modulate the inflammatory response by producing antimicrobials like lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocin. They will overall decrease the colony counts of harmful pathogens in the oral cavity by competitive inhibition.
The most commonly used probiotic can be yeast, bacteria, or molds. These include,
1)Lactic acid-producing bacterial (LAB) species like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus.
2) Non-lactic acid Bacteria species like Bacillus, Propionibacterium
3)Nonpathogenic yeast like Saccharomyces
Kimchi from Korea contains pickled vegetables with loads of lactic acid bacteria, kefir contains yeast and our household yogurt contains billions of live cultures that can balance the ecosystem of gastrointestinal, genitourinary as well as oral cavity.
Our mouth is a niche to thousand of different species of bacteria. Of these elevated levels, Streptococcus mutans had long been associated with an increased risk of caries. Interestingly it was noted that regular consumption of yogurt, milk, or cheeses contains a probiotic which led to a decrease in the number of cariogenic streptococci in the saliva as well as a dental plaque for up to 80 % in 2 weeks. Also, probiotics containing L. rhamnosus and L. casei or Bifidobacterium have shown to decrease the growth of streptococcus. Cheese contains L.rhamnosus that can decrease the fungal outgrowth of Candida. Cheese has been reported to prevent demineralization of enamel and in turn, promotes remineralization. Researchers proved that 14 days intake of L.returi led to the establishment of the strain and also caused a significant decrease in diseases causing pathogens of gingiva and periodontium. These harmless bacteria could successfully reduce gum inflammation and plaque accumulation and positively showed improvement in gum health by lowering probing depth and even loss of attachment.
Probiotics were however delivered as food supplements and not drugs for a very long time. As a result of which direct action was not possible locally until the use of chewing gum, lozenges, tablets, and mouthwash gain acceptance. Mouthwash with L. reuteri , tablets of L.salivarius with Xylitol gum has shown to reduces plaque pathogens and promote the healthy ecological balance of useful bacteria like S.oralis and S. uberis. Mouth wash containing Weissella cibaria has shown to decrease fetid odor by removing methanethiol and hydrogen sulfide. Gum and lozenges containing S.salivarius have shown to decrease volatile sulfur components causing bad breath.
In India probiotic is mostly given in pediatric patients and some adults as Yakult, Sporolac, or Vibactum (VitaminB+ Bacillus) or with some antibiotic preparation. Only mild side effects have been noted to date with most of them associated with bloating and gas. Probiotics has been used sparingly in immunocompromised patients due to the associated risk of pathogenic infection. Clinical studies conducted so far suggest that probiotics could be useful in preventing and treating oral infections, including dental caries, periodontal disease, and halitosis. Therefore, further research is warranted in nonpathogenic bacterial strains with the aim to reduce cariogenic potential, longer duration of local action, and replacement to a healthy ecosystem for caries-free oral condition.
GAMEFACE 