Probiotics: contributions to oral health

Abstract

Probiotics have been extensively studied for their health-promoting effects. The main field of research has been in the gastrointestinal tract. However, in the past few years probiotics have also been investigated in the oral health perspective, which is the topic of the present review. We discuss the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion, potential of probiotics in oral cavity colonization, interspecies interactions, and possible effects on immunomodulation, and means of probiotic administration. We suggest that probiotic treatment of diseases other than dental caries and periodontal disease should also be systematically investigated. In general, hardly any randomized controlled trials have been conducted in this area and the studies on probiotics vs oral health are still in their cradle. Hence, much more investigations are called for before any evidence-based conclusions can be drawn: if or not probiotic therapy can be recommended for oral health purposes.