Dental Probiotics – Quickly Gaining Ground in Dentistry
Dr. Tod A. Bigelow published the following information recently on dental probiotics. The three main benefits in using a dental probiotic are:
- Reduces the amount of bad bacteria, which create acids that destroy tooth enamel. Reduces the amount of bacteria that cause bad breath
- The by product of the healthy dental probiotic is a low dose of hydrogen peroxide, which naturally whitens teeth.
In the past probiotics have been successful for treating digestive related diseases but until recently had not been used in dentistry. Some doctors feel that probiotics will be as effective in treating dental diseases verses inner body disease since many beneficial bacteria are destroyed by the hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
In the mouth live cultures can be used because there is no danger from the hydrochloric acid of the stomach and probiotics can be introduced at much higher concentration into the mouth than into the stomach with very little loss in numbers.
Probiotics in the mouth can help a dentist control disease carrying pathogens. Gingivitis is the result of
pathogens attacking small food particles and probiotics help reduce the growth of the pathogens.
Probiotics lower the Ph so that plaque bacteria cannot form dental plaque and calculus that causes disease. Probiotics make an excellent maintenance product since they produce antioxidants.
Antioxidants prevent stain and plaque formed by neutralizing the free electrons that are needed for mineral formation. They are able to breakdown odors by attacking the toxic gases and changing them to gases needed for metabolism, thus helping reduce mouth odor (bad breath).
Specifically in dentistry this is how it works. We know that a professional cleaning removes both good and bad bacteria from the mouth, so the days immediately after a cleaning are a good time to replenish the good bacteria.
We now have a probiotic mint that promotes periodontal and dental health by helping maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the mouth. The mints are used once a day for ten days after a cleaning. The beneficial bacteria in the mints bond to the teeth and go under the gingival margin, moving out bad bacteria.
Using this product after the initial 10-day period will reduce levels of bacteria that are associated with bad breath. Also a low dose of hydrogen peroxide is given off as a metabolic by-product that provides continuous whitening on teeth.