Growth inhibition of oral mutans streptococci and candida by commercial probiotic lactobacilli - an in vitro study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Probiotic bacteria are suggested to play a role in the maintenance of oral health. Such health promoting bacteria are added to different commercial probiotic products. The aim of the study was to investigate the ability of a selection of lactobacilli strains, used in commercially available probiotic products, to inhibit growth of oral mutans streptococci and <it>C. albicans in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eight probiotic lactobacilli strains were tested for growth inhibition on three reference strains and two clinical isolates of mutans streptococci as well as two reference strains and three clinical isolates of <it>Candida albicans </it>with an agar overlay method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At concentrations ranging from 10⁹to 10⁵CFU/ml, all lactobacilli strains inhibited the growth of the mutans streptococci completely with the exception of <it>L. acidophilus </it>La5 that executed only a slight inhibition of some strains at concentrations corresponding to 10⁷and 10⁵CFU/ml. At the lowest cell concentration (10³CFU/ml), only <it>L. plantarum </it>299v and <it>L. plantarum </it>931 displayed a total growth inhibition while a slight inhibition was seen for all five mutans streptococci strains by <it>L. rhamnosus </it>LB21, <it>L. paracasei </it>F19, <it>L. reuteri </it>PTA 5289 and <it>L. reuteri </it>ATCC 55730. All the tested lactobacilli strains reduced candida growth but the effect was generally weaker than for mutans streptococci. The two <it>L. plantarum </it>strains and <it>L. reuteri </it>ATCC 55730 displayed the strongest inhibition on <it>Candida albicans</it>. No significant differences were observed between the reference strains and the clinical isolates.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The selected probiotic strains showed a significant but somewhat varying ability to inhibit growth of oral mutans streptococci and <it>Candida albicans in vitro</it>.</p

Epidemiological studies of dental caries in groups of Swedish children

In a cross-sectional study the extent and distribution of dental caries was studied in 817 children, 4, 8 and 13 years old in three areas inSweden. The importance of dietary habits, sugar intake, social conditions, professional dental care, oral hygiene and the use of fluorides on caries prevalence was analyzed. In a subsample, con­sisting of 88 8-year-olds and 91 13-year-olds the net caries increment during aone-year period was studied.In this longitudinal study, the salivary levels of lactobacllli and S. mutans were determined and correlated to sugar intake and caries increment. The cross-sectional study showed obvious differences in caries preva­lence among the studied areas. These differences could mainly be explained by variations in the age from which children had received professional dental care, frequency of tooth-brushing and the use of topical fluorides. There were no differences in dietary habits or sugar intake that could explain the differences in caries prevalence among the areas studied. Examples are given of how changes in some determinants may affect the caries prevalence by means of path analysis. The longitudinal study showed that caries Increment was higher when sugar intake and meal frequency were high (&gt; the mean value for the age group). The highest mean caries increment was found in children with high prevalence of lactobacllli and S. mutans in the saliva combined with a high sugar intake. Groups of children with high salivary levels of both Iactobac ì II i and S. mutans developed 3-4 times more caries than other children. This relation did not always exist in the Individual case. Children with a low caries Increment during one year (0-2 surfaces) brushed their teeth more often and rinsed their mouths more frequently with fluoride solution than children with a high caries increment (&gt; 3 surfaces). The use of fluoridated toothpaste was somewhat more common, however, in the low carles increment group only in the.8-year-oIds. The gingival status was used as a measure of oral hygiene and gingivitis scores revealed statistically significant differences between groups with a low caries increment and a high carles increment (p &lt; 0.01, p &lt; 0.05) in the two age groups, respectively. With the variables frequency of meals, total sugar intake, salivary level of lactobacilli and S. mutans, oral hygiene and use of topical fluorides the net caries increment during one year could be correctly predicted in 79 % of the 8-year-olds and 81 % of the 13-year-olds when the children were divided Into two groups according to their net car­ies increment; 0-2 surfaces and &gt; 3 surfaces.S. 1-43: sammanfattning, s. 45-116: 5 uppsatserdigitalisering@um

Prevention of Recurrent Childhood Caries with Probiotic Supplements : A Randomized Controlled Trial with a 12-Month Follow-Up

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

The antisecretory factor in plasma and breast milk in breastfeeding mothers : a prospective cohort study in Sweden

Inflammation and infection postpartum threaten the mother and her infant. Human milk provides a defense for the infant, but inflammatory complications like mastitis may lead to the cessation of breastfeeding. Antisecretory factor (AF) has a role in the regulation of secretory processes and inflammation. The objective of the study was to describe AF-levels in plasma and breast milk, and in relation to breast complications. Breastfeeding mothers (n = 95) were consecutively recruited at a Well Baby Clinic in Umeå, Sweden. At inclusion four weeks postpartum, samples of venous blood (10 mL) and breast milk (10 mL) were collected. Active AF was analyzed with ELISA using a monoclonal antibody mAb43, and was detected in all samples of plasma and breast milk with a positive correlation (Spearman coefficient = 0.40, p &lt; 0.001; Pearson correlation = 0.34, p &lt; 0.01). High AF-levels in plasma correlated with high AF-levels in breast milk. The results suggest a co-regulation between active AF in plasma and breastmilk, and/or a local regulation of AF in the breast. Further studies are needed to determine the pathways for the activation of AF-levels in breast milk and plasma

Vitamin D Insufficiency among Women Post-Partum in Northern Sweden : A Public Health Concern

Pregnancy and post-partum represent a period of susceptibility for vitamin D insufficiency. This study investigated S-25 [OH] D levels in women in northern Sweden 4 weeks post-partum and its association with selected background factors. Blood from 100 healthy women were analyzed for iron status and serum levels of S-25[OH] D using ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS). &lt;50 nmol/L was categorized as insufficiency and &lt;25 nmol/L as deficiency. Maternal BMI, dietary habits, fungal infections during pregnancy, and infant birth characteristics were collected using questionnaires and medical charts. 58% were vitamin D insufficient whereas 10% had deficiency. Insufficiency was most common during winter (OR = 2.77; 95% CI = 1.1-6.96) and women with deficiency reported lower milk consumption; 11.3 ± 22.8 intakes per months vs. 34.0 ± 28.9 for those above 25 nmol/L (p &lt; 0.05). Vitamin D-insufficient women had lower serum ferritin levels (p &lt; 0.01) and higher serum transferrin levels (p &lt; 0.05). A history of vaginal fungal infection during pregnancy was associated with insufficiency (OR = 5.10; 95% CI = 1.01-25.73), however, the confidence interval of the estimate was wide, resulting in uncertainty. It is concluded that vitamin D insufficiency 4 weeks post-partum was common in women living at 63°49'N. The odds of being insufficient were increased during winter whereas milk consumption was negatively associated with deficiency. The low vitamin D-levels particularly during winter is a public health concern. From a public health perspective it has to be considered whether dietary advices alone should be modified or if supplementation with vitamin D during pregnancy and the post-partum period also is needed