Dental Probiotics: A Promising Approach to Treating Periodontal Disease and Enhancing Oral Health

According to a study by Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health (USA) published in 2020 from an analysis of more than 140,000 patients, showing that having periodontal disease increases the risk of cancers of the esophagus and stomach.

However, because the disease progresses slowly, with diverse manifestations, and develops silently, it is often overlooked and detected only when the condition is already serious, seriously affecting oral health, aesthetics, and function. chewing ability…

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In addition, when suffering from periodontal disease, patients also face the risk of systemic diseases such as: increased rates of stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, sepsis, premature birth and low birth weight babies in women. pregnant women... caused by disease-causing bacteria entering the bloodstream through inflamed and damaged gum tissue.

Periodontal disease (periodontitis) occurs when the tissues around the teeth are damaged, and symptoms can be easily recognized such as:

- Swollen, red or light purple gums;

Pain when touching the gums, bleeding gums during and after brushing.

- Retracted, receding gums, making the roots look longer than usual;

- Pus appears between teeth and gums, bad breath;

- Loose teeth, loss of teeth, pain when chewing.

In most cases, periodontitis begins with an increase or accumulation of plaque - a biofilm that sticks to the teeth filled with bacteria inside, formed by the process of chewing, daily living.

Currently, the usual non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease will be: scaling, treating the root surface of the tooth, along with antibiotics (for a short time). In more severe cases that do not improve, surgical interventions such as flap surgery, cleaning of the infected area, connective tissue transplantation, and/or bone grafting will be required.

However, the patient's condition of re-inflammation after drug treatment occurs quite often, and is also a problem of much concern in dentistry.

Changing the treatment modality with dental probiotics

In developed countries, the research and application of probiotic preparations as a form of bacterial vaccine (using beneficial bacteria to naturally inhibit harmful bacteria) for diseases caused by bacteria are very common. This is also a potential direction and is being widely applied.

In 2013 in Spain, Professor Monica Vicario (University of Internacional de Catalunya) gave patients with mild to moderate chronic periodontitis, using beneficial bacteria L.reuteri (inhibiting bacteria causing periodontitis). ) for a short period of time (30 days).

This study has shown that L.reuteri strain significantly prevents chronic periodontitis, as well as limits the process of plaque formation and pathogenic factors in the oral cavity.

In 2015, a study by Dr. Merve Tekçe Güngör (Yeditepe Diş University of Hekimliği Fakültesi, Turkey) showed the effectiveness of the beneficial bacteria L. reuteri (in terms of inhibiting the bacteria causing periodontitis) when treating for patients aged 35-50 years with chronic periodontitis; The results show that periodontal pocket depth (a clinical factor determining the degree of periodontitis) is strongly reduced when used with the beneficial bacteria L. reuteri when combined with the traditional method.

Another special thing in this study is that in the group of patients who used concomitantly with L.reuteri, at 360 days after the study, there was almost no need for surgical intervention (0.8%); Meanwhile, in the control group with only traditional treatment without L. reuteri, the number of cases requiring surgery was nearly 50%.

The application of beneficial bacteria L.reuteri to the treatment of periodontitis has also been of interest to dentists, with convincing clinical research results around the world, especially when the status of resistance is antibiotics are increasing due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics to alarming levels.

- Using beneficial bacteria L.reuteri in dental treatment, especially periodontitis, in countries around the world has proven effective and long-term effects, and at the same time,

- Safe for all users such as children, pregnant women, diabetics

In addition, dental probiotics also help prevent other oral diseases such as tooth decay, bad breath, inflammation around the implant.

- Contributes to improving the body's resistance.

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