Do Oral Probiotics Really Work?

Updated on October 18, 2021

Health is becoming an increasingly concerning topic, and rightly so. If you think your gut is the only part of your body with a diverse bacterial community, you’d be wrong. In any case, you should be as concerned about your oral health too.

Like your gut, the mouth has a mix of good and bad bacteria, and your oral health plays a crucial role in discouraging the growth of the harmful kind. Good thing, probiotics can help fight bad breath effectively.

Although oral probiotics have some similarities to gut probiotics, they are also quite different because the focus is on improving the oral microbiome. So, do oral probiotics work? Let’s find out.

How Do Oral Probiotics Work?

No one likes bad breath. Do you know what causes bad breath? In most cases, it’s because of the volatile sulfur compounds that occur due to how oral bacteria interact with one another.

Oral prebiotics combats unpleasant odors by breaking down volatile sulfur compounds into several gases. So, to counter halitosis or bad breath, one should turn towards oral probiotics immediately.

If you think mouthwashes are a better alternative, then you need to think again. Sure, mouthwash clears out harmful bacteria, but there is a price that one has to pay for it—the good bacteria also get killed. Therefore, it is advisable to stick to oral probiotics that are chewable or dissolvable pastilles for added support to really benefit your oral health.

The Benefits of Using Oral Probiotics

Using oral probiotics can help you counter many oral health issues, which is something to aim for. After all, the microbiome in your mouth impacts your entire body. However, you should still ensure that you carry on with a proper oral healthcare routine by brushing, flossing, and maintaining a healthy diet.

Here’s what you can expect from incorporating oral probiotics into your dental health routine:

Prevents Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a multifactorial gum disease that targets hard and soft gum tissues, causing inflammation. And once you develop gum recession, there is no going back—at least not without medication. What you need to do then is prevent the development of the disease by halting bacterial growth in the first place.

Oral probiotics can help prevent periodontitis from occurring because they have antioxidant properties. In addition, they work by lowering the pH levels of the oral cavity. As a result, they help discourage bacteria from furthering into dental plaque, which can cause periodontal disease.

Targets Cavities

Cavities are the worst when it comes to the appearance of teeth. Plaque, which is bacterial overgrowth in the mouth that continuously feeds on sugar molecules, secretes acid that can harm your teeth’s enamel.

Oral probiotics produce antibacterial compounds that prevent bacteria from clinging onto teeth. It also aids the re-mineralization of the enamel by improving saliva quality and changing the mouth’s pH level to stop bacterial growth.

Controls the Growth of Candida

In candidiasis, fungal growth on your tongue can cause white spots, redness, dry mouth, and inflammation. More than anything, such growth is a clear indicator of dysbiosis in the oral microbiome.

Changing your diet from sugars and carbs to healthier foods will help put an end to this overgrowth. Furthermore, oral probiotics will allow beneficial bacteria to crowd in your mouth and help control the growth of candida.

Counters the Need for Voice Prosthesis

Oral probiotics concentration in the larynx reduces the growth of harmful bacteria, hence, lowering the risks of issues with your larynx. Oral probiotics like Lactococcus lactis spp. produces antimycotics, which effectively prevent the need for speech therapy or voice prosthesis by keeping the oral microbe environment balanced.

Fights Respiratory Infections

If you are struggling with clogged sinuses, bronchitis, or the common cold, then you are undoubtedly aware of how terrible respiratory infections can be for your health. L. gasseri is a known oral probiotic that fights against bacteria that can cause respiratory diseases and target their symptoms.

Another notable finding concerning respiratory infections and oral probiotics shows that oral probiotics reduce the effect of these respiratory tract infections by 76 percent in a clinical trial in 2018.

You might find it challenging to establish a link between respiratory diseases and oral probiotics, but the mouth impacts the health of the rest of your body. Therefore, relying on probiotics will not disappoint you here. Basically, they help keep the natural pH level of the oral and respiratory tract consistent without the need for antibiotics.

Bottom Line

There aren’t any significant side effects of turning to oral probiotics. Unlike gut probiotics that can cause mild gas and upset the stomach slightly, there haven’t been any identifiable side effects. Still, as with any new practice, it would be a good idea to consult your doctor before you go down this route.

Furthermore, taking oral probiotics doesn’t mean you can skip your six-month dental checkups. Keep everything in line and use probiotics with all these strategies to get the best results for better overall health.

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