Effects of a food enriched with probiotics on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. salivary counts in preschool children: a cluster randomized trial

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.

Efficacy of Probiotic Milk for Caries Regression in Preschool Children: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

“…When the confounding factors, including age, sex, and the number of surfaces with noncavitated and cavitated active caries at baseline, were controlled, both daily and triweekly probiotic consumption prevented dental caries by reducing caries increment and significantly increasing the regressive surfaces compared to the placebo group at the 6-and 12-month follow-up periods. Our results are consistent with previous findings in young children that showed decreased numbers of carious surfaces or of affected children with caries after longterm intakes of milk containing various Lactobacillus species [Näse et al, 2001;Stecksen-Blicks et al, 2009;Rodriguez et al, 2016;Villavicencio et al, 2018]. At the outset, consumption of milk containing L. rhamnosus GG was shown to significantly reduce caries risk levels that were determined by caries status and MS counts [Näse et al, 2001].…”

“…In addition, consumption of milk containing L. rhamnosus LB21 demonstrated 75% prevents fraction and new caries prevention so that 21% of the participants remained caries-free [Stecksen-Blicks et al, 2009], and children who consumed milk containing L. rhamnosus SP1 exhibited significantly less caries incidence than those who consumed the placebo [Rodriguez et al, 2016]. However, the most recent study instead reported that consumption of milk containing a combination of L. rhamnosus and Bifidobacteruim longum, which are commercially available as infant formula powder, did not reduce the risk of initial caries [Villavicencio et al, 2018]. This inefficacy may be attributed to the lack of bacterial strain or caries specificity [McFarland et al, 2018].…”

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Caries Risk Assessment and Management in General Dentists- A Cross Sectional Survey

“…(20) Villavicencio et al showed that administration of probiotics significantly reduced lactobacilli in preschool children. (21) In this study, 56.9% of participants never prescribed a casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) for their patients.…”

Annual review of selected scientific literature: A report of the Committee on Scientific Investigation of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry

“…Additionally, analyzing saliva will not necessarily render data on S. mutans biofilm count. In the first study mentioned previously, 376 there was a reduction in Lactobacilli spp. and an increase in the buffering capacity of saliva, but no evaluation of caries rate was reported.…”

“…In a triple-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, Villavicencio et al 376 evaluated the effect of milk supplemented with probiotic bacteria, compared with standard milk, on levels of S. mutans and Lactobacillus spp., in 3-to 4-year-old children after 9 months of intervention. Participants included 363 preschoolers attending 5 childdevelopment centers in Cali, Colombia.…”