HIGHLIGHTS FROM PROBIOTA 2017 IN BERLIN

All mouth and some action: Oral probiotics still in infancy but promise is there

21-Feb-2017 - Last updated on 28-Sep-2021 at 11:17 GMT

The emergence of probiotics in oral health has led to an acceleration of research into these friendly bacteria as a potential functional ingredient in gum and mints.

Their impact on oral health can range from reducing dental plaque-related diseases, such as caries, gingivitis and peridontitis to addressing common oral complaints such as bad breath (halitosis).

“We see a lot of evidence for different microbial markers and pathogens reduced in numbers for these conditions,” explained Dr Mette Kirstine Keller, assistant professor, School of Dentistry at the University of Copenhagen.

According to Dr Keller, more progress is required before general treatment guidelines and recommendations can be made.

“The currently available literature is promising, but clinical recommendation would be premature since large-scale clinical studies with orally derived specific candidates are still lacking,” she explained.

“In my opinion it’s just a matter of time before we get sufficient data to come up with some guidelines.”