Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Jun;75(3):1662-1671.
doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2025.02.018. Epub 2025 Mar 26.

The Probiotic Effects of Lactobacillus brevis CD2 on Caries Related Variables of Dental Plaque Biofilm

Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Probiotic Effects of Lactobacillus brevis CD2 on Caries Related Variables of Dental Plaque Biofilm

Guglielmo Campus et al. Int Dent J. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: This study was based on the research question: "Does L. brevis CD2 have an effect on the acidogenicity of sugar-exposed bacteria? To solve this question, a multistep study was planned: first, an in vitro investigation aimed to assess the acid production of monoculture bacterial solutions; and second, an ex vivo experiment to evaluate the production or inhibition of acids from plaque samples.

Methods: L. brevis CD2 and several control strains (Lactobacillus brevis CD2, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, Lactobacillus rhamnosus LB21, Lactobacillus plantarum 931, Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt) were tested with various sugars; pH changes were recorded at specific time points using a micro-pH electrode. Additionally, for the ex vivo phase, the same sugars were added to equal amounts of pooled plaque from 9 healthy subjects with bacterial suspensions, as well as a control solution, and pH was monitored for up to 90 minutes. For the ex vivo phase, 9 adults were randomised in a crossover design for 28 days. For the in vivo phase, 26 healthy subjects used 1/2 lozenges 3 times daily containing either L. brevis CD2 (active) or no probiotic bacteria (placebo). Plaque acidogenicity was assessed using the microtouch method after a 10 ml mouth rinse containing 10% sucrose for 1 minute (on day 0 and day 28).

Results: L. brevis CD2 exhibited the highest ability to inhibit the fermentation of fructose, lactose, and sucrose compared to the control strains (P < .05). A significant reduction in plaque acidogenicity was observed in vivo from day 0 to day 28 in the test group (P < .05).

Conclusions: This study indicates that L. brevis CD2 mitgates the acidogenic attributes of plaque biofilm organisma in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo, suggesting its potential benefit as a caries preventive probiotic agent.

Keywords: Acidogenicity; In vitro; In vivo; Lactobacillus brevis CD2; Oral health; Probiotic; Sugar.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest None disclosed.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig. 1
Flow-chart of the study.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
pH curves of different bacterial solutions and/or pooled dental plaque during 90 minutes after sugars exposure.
Fig 3
Fig. 3
pH curves of different sugars added to suspensions of L. brevis CD2.
Fig 4
Fig. 4
pH curves in the 2 groups (L.brevis CD2 and placebo) recording for 45 minutes at baseline (t0) and at follow-up (t28).

References

    1. How Y.H., Yeo SK. Oral probiotic and its delivery carriers to improve oral health: a review. Microbiol. 2021;167(8) doi: 10.1099/mic.0.001076. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Radaic A., Kapila YL. The oralome and its dysbiosis: new insights into oral microbiome-host interactions. Comput Struct Biote J. 2021;19:1335–1360. doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.02.010. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bowen W.H., Burne R.A., Wu H., Koo H. Oral biofilms: pathogens, matrix, and polymicrobial interactions in microenvironments. Trends Microbiol. 2018;26(3):229–242. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2017.09.008. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lin X., Chen X., Tu Y., Wang S., Chen H. Effect of probiotic lactobacilli on the growth of streptococcus mutans and multispecies biofilms isolated from children with active caries. Med Sci Monit. 2017;23:4175–4181. doi: 10.12659/msm.902237. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Shin CH. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric diabetes mellitus. J Korean Med Sci. 2022;37(22):e186. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e186. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types