Oral probiotics are bacterial strains believed to enhance the dental health and contribute to the establishment of healthy teeth and gums. They promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the mouth while inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
The good bacterial population that resides in the mouth is collectively referred to as the oral microbiome. Probiotic supplements use beneficial bacteria known as commensals to improve oral microbiomes’ overall health.
Generally, oral microbiomes work in the same fashion as gut microbiomes. The only difference is they are located in different regions of the digestive system. The same applies to probiotics. Some probiotics used to promote oral health may not affect gut health. Oral probiotics are delivered to the mouth through tablets, chewable milk, and probiotic milk.
The effectiveness of swallowable oral probiotics doesn’t compare to the effectiveness of those that must be chewed first. This document analyzes oral probiotics and explains whether they are beneficial to teeth and gums or not.
Can Your Teeth and Gums Benefit from Probiotics?
Inside This Article
Taking probiotics to maintain healthy teeth and gum may sound shocking, but probiotics supplements have several powerful benefits and can help support a healthy mouth. Consuming probiotics may also help reduce the risk of gum problems.
Generally, probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that can assist users in maintaining healthy teeth and gums. So, it’s true that both gums and teeth can benefit tremendously from probiotic consumption. While most people try to maintain a healthy mouth through brushing and flossing, the two methods are only sometimes as effective as credited.
It is common for most people to brush their teeth almost twice daily and still suffer from tooth decay, halitosis, and bleeding gums. Unfortunately, most of the toothpaste we use at home doesn’t offer a solution to the above problems.
Probiotic supplements are important because they can help strengthen teeth resistance against plaque and balance the microbial colonies found within the mouth. Consequently, probiotics are vital components of a healthy diet. You can also check a list of other vitamins that are good for teeth and gum.
Researchers with a solid track record have demonstrated that using oral probiotics can assist users in managing gum disease, preventing plaque, and helping them battle against foul breath. The researchers have also demonstrated that oral probiotics are appropriate for human consumption and do not adversely affect the user.
Oral Probiotics Benefits
Oral probiotics are taken to support and increase oral microbiomes. They are also taken to eliminate both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that are mostly found hidden on the human tongue. Below are more possible benefits that users can experience by using oral probiotic supplements:
- Oral probiotics can help prevent plaque.
The mouth is filled with numerous distinctive bacteria. While some of them are beneficial, there exists a colony of harmful bacteria that can form plaque. A study carried out in 2016 discovered that there exists a bacteria known as A12, which has the potential to assist in the fight against Streptococcus mutans. This is a bacterium that is well-known for contributing to the development of cavities.
The bacterium converts sugars into acid, producing an acidic environment inside the mouth. The unfavorable acidic medium contributes to plaque development, the hard substance covering the tooth enamel. Check out a list of minerals that can help restores teeth and gums naturally.
During the study, the professionals concluded that the presence of A12 prevented S.mutans from growing and expanding their population. The bacteria, whose growth was supported by probiotic supplements, also prevented plaque formation.
- Probiotics contribute to gum wellness.
Compared to how much attention is paid to halitosis and cavities, most people consistently disregard gingivitis and periodontal disease prevention. They fail to understand that these conditions also have a protracted unfavorable effect on their dental wellness.
To lessen the number of germs responsible for causing foul breath along the gum lines, users should consider introducing a supplement to their oral care routine once they are done brushing and flossing. Doing this sets them aside from the risks of swelling and bleeding gums, contributing to their gum wellness.
- Probiotics can help patients manage symptoms of gingivitis.
Previous research conducted in 2013 by a team of professional clinic officers revealed that probiotics could reduce the signs and symptoms of gingivitis. Gingivitis, also known as gum disease, is an oral illness that widely affects most adults, particularly those above thirty.
However, the condition is also prevalent in teenagers and younger kids. The common symptoms of gum disease include swollen gums, sensitive teeth, and discomfort. In the study involving 59 participants, some were given sugar pills that acted as a placebo, while others were offered probiotics containing beneficial bacteria, L.reuteri.
The researchers instructed the participants to return after two weeks and established that the most substantial reduction in gingivitis symptoms was visible in the group that received the probiotic supplements. Additionally, their teeth exhibited substantially less plaque accumulation.
- Prevention and elimination of tooth decay
Probiotics are manufactured to encourage the multiplication of oral microbiomes and prevent the growth of bad bacteria. Typically, harmful bacteria contribute largely to tooth decay. probiotics are made to target and eradicate the bacterium commonly known as L’salivarius specifically.
Dozens of these bacteria are present, the only way for them to be eradicated is through probiotic consumption. However, the user needs to take probiotics containing strains that can eradicate this specific bacterium, or it will not function. Taking probiotics prevents your teeth from getting holes and being destroyed by bacteria.
How Long Does It Take for Oral Probiotics to work After Consumption?
As previously mentioned, oral probiotics are consumed in chewable tablets and probiotic milk. Once they are taken, users should expect them to begin functioning in less than one week. However, probiotics’ effectiveness and operating speed depend on the dysbiosis’s severity. The professionals recommend that users consistently take oral probiotics for three to five months to begin experiencing the effects and benefits of the products.
Final Verdict
While taking the proper diet and constantly brushing and flossing your teeth can help maintain healthy teeth and gums, the methods are only sometimes practical. You may need to include dental probiotics in your oral health maintenance routine to eliminate other problems, including halitosis and bleeding gums. However, consult your dentist before consuming oral probiotics, especially if you’re pregnant, on medication, or breastfeeding.
