Abstract
Probiotics have provided benefits to general health, but they are still insufficient to dental health.Objective:This study aimed to evaluate milk supplemented with probiotic bacteria and standard milk, measured by levels of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus spp., in 3-4-year-old children after 9 months of intervention.Material and Methods:The study was a triple-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. The sample was composed of 363 preschoolers attending five child development centers in Cali, Colombia. They were randomized to two groups: children in the intervention group drank 200 mL of milk with Lactobacillus rhamnosus 5x10 6 and Bifidobacteruim longum 3x10 6 , and children in the control group drank 200 mL of standard milk. Interventions occurred on weekdays and information was gathered through scheduled clinical examination. The primary result was the number of colony forming units (CFU) of S. mutans and Lactobacillus spp. in the saliva. Secondary results were dental caries, rated by the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS), dental plaque, pH, and salivary buffer capacity.Results:The proportion of S. mutans was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group after 9 months; however, the differences did not reach statistical significance (p=0.173); on the other hand, statistically significant differences between groups were found in the CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. (p=0.002). There was not statistically significant difference in the prevalence of dental caries for both groups (p=0.767). Differences between groups were found in the salivary buffering capacity (p=0.000); neither salivary pH nor dental plaque were significantly different.Conclusions:Regular consumption of milk containing probiotics bacteria reduced CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. and increased salivary buffering capacity at 9 months of consumption.
Highlights
Childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most prevalent and costly health conditions among children26
This study aimed to evaluate milk supplemented with probiotic bacteria and standard milk, measured by levels of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus spp., in 3-4-year-old children after 9 months of intervention
The proportion of S. mutans was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group after 9 months; the differences did not reach statistical significance (p=0.173); on the other hand, statistically significant differences between groups were found in the colony forming units (CFU)/mL of Lactobacillus spp. (p=0.002)
Summary
Childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most prevalent and costly health conditions among children. Regional data of the IV National Oral Health Survey conducted in Colombia in 2014 (ENSAB IV) reported a prevalence of 29.31% in 1-yearold children, an increased prevalence of 83.03% in 3-year-olds and 88.83% in 5-year-olds. These results show the importance of investigating new self-administrated preventive measures that could be added to existing evidence-based recommendations to control ECC6. Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts. The mechanism of probiotics in the oral cavity is not completely understood, but they are associated with reductions in CFU counts of cariogenic pathogens. Most of the studies reviewed mention the ability of the lactic acid to compete with pathogens for adhesion surfaces and nutrients, causing the displacement of the latter
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