The bacteria living in the gut and the mouth are linked. The mouth is your body’s gateway; any good or bad bacteria that passes through it will also pass through the rest of your body and affect your overall health. This makes oral care essential.
Probiotics are food supplements containing microorganisms that alter your gut microbiome, effectively treating many gastrointestinal problems in children and adults. Studies about probiotics are starting to show promising effects for children susceptible to cavities and other dental problems. Probiotics for oral health don’t just benefit your child; they are good for you too.
But first, let’s talk about the bacteria in your mouth.
The Oral Microbiome
Your mouth is home to billions of bacteria. They come from many places, first colonizing your body when you are born. Since then, more and more bacteria species have been introduced to your body each time you drink water or kiss someone.
Some won’t stay in your mouth for long, while others stay indefinitely. The bacteria that stay comprise more than 700 bacteria species of your oral microbiome. Some bacteria are good for your mouth, helping protect your teeth from decay. Some are of the bad sort, which leads to cavities and gum disease. Plaque, the sticky biofilm coating your teeth, is full of these bad bacteria.
A healthy mouth allows good bacteria to flourish. However, poor diet, oral hygiene, and other health issues like autoimmune disorders disrupt the balance in your mouth, allowing the bad bacteria to thrive instead. This can lead to dental problems like tooth decay, bad breath, and tooth loss.
What Are Oral Probiotics?
Dental probiotics improve the balance and health of the bacteria in your mouth, supporting healthy teeth and gums and promoting good bacteria growth. They also prevent bad bacteria from taking over.
Many in America lack access to good oral care because dental care is considered separate from health care. This makes good oral hygiene and maintaining good oral health essential. Aside from a healthy diet, you can improve oral health by adding probiotics.
Dental probiotics are different from gut probiotics. Each has a different mix of organisms and optimum delivery method. Most gut probiotics are made up of bacteria strains naturally occurring in the gut. The same is true for dental probiotics.
Where to buy oral probiotics for your child? You can find most dental probiotics online or over-the-counter. They are often sold as dietary supplements that don’t undergo the same strict testing as other medications. Choose a brand with a good reputation, is trusted, studied, and has many positive reviews.
Benefits Of Probiotics for Oral Health
Probiotics for oral health offer many benefits for you and your child. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.
Prevents Bad Breath
Periodontitis is responsible for approximately 90% of all cases of bad breath. Oral probiotics for bad breath can help promote healthy tongue ecology, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where more bad breath-causing bacteria live. However, the tongue has a unique set of bacteria living on it, different from those on the gums. This may make it difficult for probiotics intended to colonize gum tissue to colonize the tongue.
A study has shown that Streptococcus K12 is a strain that effectively reduces bad breath. Participants in the study were given a three-day regimen of chlorhexidine used with the bacteria strain or a placebo. 85% of the participants saw a significant reduction in their bad breath compared to the placebo group. However, the author notes that while these results are promising, more research is needed to find the best way to consume oral probiotics.
Counters Gum Disease and Gingivitis
Another one of the many benefits of taking oral probiotics is that it helps treat gum disease. Combining probiotic therapy with gum treatments produces better results than clinical treatments alone. However, probiotic therapy has many aspects you must consider before using it.
A type of lactobacilli is one of the helpful bacteria strains found in the mouth. They fight bad bacteria and keep the mouth’s microbiome healthy. In one study, 59 patients with gingivitis were given two Lactobacillus Reuteri formulations daily or a placebo. Researchers measured the level of plaque and gingivitis at the beginning of the trial. The study ended with a drop in the gingivitis levels in the Lactobacillus group. Those in the placebo group didn’t experience any change.
Prevents Cavities
Cavity prevention is another one of many the benefits of probiotics for kids and adults alike. Some studies, like those from the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research, suggest that probiotics could help prevent cavities. It also suggested that bacteriotherapy may inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth. The researchers observed the following:
- Different probiotic bacteria strains have different effects on the microbiome. Each can inhibit the growth of other strains, including yeast and carcinogenic bacteria.
- Probiotic dairy products have natural acid buffers. It produces anti-carcinogenic properties when combined with calcium and the effects of calcium lactate, benefiting your mouth’s health.
- Probiotics can prevent the growth of harmful strains for a short time, but their long-term effects are not well-documented.
Prevents Plaque
Plaque prevention is another one of the many benefits of probiotics for kids and adults. A study has shown the possibility of plaque prevention through probiotics. It showed that the A12 Streptococcus strain prevents the growth of Streptococcus mutans, a known cause of cavities. It transforms sugar into lactose, creating an acidic environment that increases the risk of plaque and cavities.
Key Takeaway
Oral probiotics can help improve the health of the oral microbiome living in your and your child’s mouth.
The mouth is home to both good and bad bacteria. Sometimes, the bad bacteria outgrow the good ones, causing problems like bad breath, tooth decay, and periodontitis. Probiotics for oral health contain good bacteria strains already in your mouth, restoring the balance in the bacteria population and oral health.
Research has shown that oral probiotics help improve your child’s teeth and gum health and prevent bad breath. Talk to your child’s dentist or doctor about oral probiotics if you plan to start using them.
Keep your mouth healthy with Sunrise Dentistry.
Our dentist in Durango CO caters to kids and adults alike, and they practice holistic dentistry that involves natural treatments and overall wellness for better oral health. Call us at (970) 247-3303, and start your child’s journey to better oral health today.
