Page 38 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 38
avje delovno aktivne populacije | health of the working-age population 36 higher Lactobacillus counts. The total viability counts of probiotic
bacteria did not change with time during 120-day storage. Although the
participant’s knowledge about probiotics was adequate, there was a lack
of knowledge observed regarding the term “cariogenic food”. Discussion
and conclusion: Despite the small sample of participants, a trend of lower
salivary cariogenic S. mutans and corresponding higher Lactobacillus
counts were observed in participants consuming probiotic ice cream.
Based on the results, probiotics consumption could be included in
the prevention of dental caries, however larger-scale study should be
conducted to confirm the significance of our results. Nevertheless, due to
the observed lack of knowledge about probiotics and cariogenic foods the
theoretical and practical approaches should be suggested for healthier
eating habits of working-age population.
Keywords: oral microbiota, dental caries, Streptococcus mutans,
probiotics
Introduction
Oral microbiota is one of the most important and complex microbial commu-
nities in the human body (Lamont et al., 2018). Moreover, there is an increas-
ing number of evidences demonstrating that oral microbiota dysbiosis is asso-
ciated not only with oral diseases (Li et al., 2019), including dental caries and
periodontal disease (Costalonga and Herzberg, 2014), but also systemic dis-
eases (Graves et al., 2018). Dental caries, one of the most common chronic dis-
eases worldwide, is characterized by the localized destruction of the mineral-
ized tooth tissues caused by bacterial action (Jin et al., 2015; Marsh and Zaura,
2017). The onset of dental caries is positively correlated to the amount and fre-
quency of consumed dietary sugars (van Loveren, 2019), which can be most-
ly found in cariogenic foods. Additional host factors influencing dental caries
development, such as oral hygiene, salivary flow and composition, and enamel
defects, are also important (Lamont et al., 2018). Since S. mutans was character-
ised as one of the most common causes for dental caries development (Loesche,
1986) against which traditional approaches were not successful (Mahantesha et
al., 2015), newer approaches such as probiotics have been tested (Anderson and
Shi, 2006). Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in an
adequate amount confer health benefits on the host (FAO and WHO, 2002).
Regarding dental caries, the main goal of probiotic application is to replace
cariogenic with noncariogenic bacteria (Twetman and Keller, 2012). As shown
before, probiotics were shown to have a beneficial effect on oral health (Bonifait
et al., 2009; Devine and Marsh, 2009). The aim of the present study was to in-
vestigate the effect of daily ice cream consumption containing probiotic strains
B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and L. acidophilus LA-5 on salivary S. mutans
counts in healthy individuals.
bacteria did not change with time during 120-day storage. Although the
participant’s knowledge about probiotics was adequate, there was a lack
of knowledge observed regarding the term “cariogenic food”. Discussion
and conclusion: Despite the small sample of participants, a trend of lower
salivary cariogenic S. mutans and corresponding higher Lactobacillus
counts were observed in participants consuming probiotic ice cream.
Based on the results, probiotics consumption could be included in
the prevention of dental caries, however larger-scale study should be
conducted to confirm the significance of our results. Nevertheless, due to
the observed lack of knowledge about probiotics and cariogenic foods the
theoretical and practical approaches should be suggested for healthier
eating habits of working-age population.
Keywords: oral microbiota, dental caries, Streptococcus mutans,
probiotics
Introduction
Oral microbiota is one of the most important and complex microbial commu-
nities in the human body (Lamont et al., 2018). Moreover, there is an increas-
ing number of evidences demonstrating that oral microbiota dysbiosis is asso-
ciated not only with oral diseases (Li et al., 2019), including dental caries and
periodontal disease (Costalonga and Herzberg, 2014), but also systemic dis-
eases (Graves et al., 2018). Dental caries, one of the most common chronic dis-
eases worldwide, is characterized by the localized destruction of the mineral-
ized tooth tissues caused by bacterial action (Jin et al., 2015; Marsh and Zaura,
2017). The onset of dental caries is positively correlated to the amount and fre-
quency of consumed dietary sugars (van Loveren, 2019), which can be most-
ly found in cariogenic foods. Additional host factors influencing dental caries
development, such as oral hygiene, salivary flow and composition, and enamel
defects, are also important (Lamont et al., 2018). Since S. mutans was character-
ised as one of the most common causes for dental caries development (Loesche,
1986) against which traditional approaches were not successful (Mahantesha et
al., 2015), newer approaches such as probiotics have been tested (Anderson and
Shi, 2006). Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in an
adequate amount confer health benefits on the host (FAO and WHO, 2002).
Regarding dental caries, the main goal of probiotic application is to replace
cariogenic with noncariogenic bacteria (Twetman and Keller, 2012). As shown
before, probiotics were shown to have a beneficial effect on oral health (Bonifait
et al., 2009; Devine and Marsh, 2009). The aim of the present study was to in-
vestigate the effect of daily ice cream consumption containing probiotic strains
B. animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and L. acidophilus LA-5 on salivary S. mutans
counts in healthy individuals.
