Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of drops containing probiotic bacteria on the recurrence of dental caries in preschool children. The study employed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded design with two parallel arms. 38 preschool children were enrolled after comprehensive restorative treatment under general anesthesia or conscious sedation (baseline), and they were followed up after 6 and 12 months. Parents of children in the test group were instructed to give 5 daily drops containing two strains of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 5289) at bedtime. The placebo drops were identically composed but lacked bacteria. The duration of the intervention was 12 months. The primary endpoint was recurrence of new caries lesions on subject level (yes/no), and secondary endpoints were presence of dental plaque and gingivitis. We found high rate of recurrent moderate and extensive lesions after 12 months (67%) but there were no significant differences between the groups. We observed no beneficial effects on dental plaque or gingival inflammation. The findings were however uncertain and inconclusive due to lack of power, a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. ClinTrials.gov Identifier: (NCT04929340), June 18, 2021; retrospectively registered.
Highlights
Childhood caries (ECC) is a common disease associated with impaired oral health-related quality of life for the child and high costs for families and society [1]
It is commonly postulated that Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease, but systematic reviews have shown that preventive measures are only partly successful [2, 3]
Several previous studies have indicated that infants, toddlers, and preschool children that are exposed to probiotic supplements can display significant reductions in caries incidence in the primary dentition [11, 12]
Summary
Childhood caries (ECC) is a common disease associated with impaired oral health-related quality of life for the child and high costs for families and society [1]. The background thinking is that a harmless effector strain implanted in the host’s microflora can maintain or restore a natural microbiome by interference and/or inhibition of other microorganisms. In this context, the microbial colonization and maturation of the oral cavity early in life is of particular interest since the first 1000 days of life provide a window of opportunity for modulating the microbiota through interventions with pre- and probiotics to promote a healthy growth and development [10]. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of drops containing probiotic bacteria
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