Probiotics and Periodontal Health

Many of our blogs focus on the health of the teeth or jaw, but what about gum health? At Millennium Smiles in Frisco, Texas, your gum health just as important to us as the rest of your mouth and body. So, we’re bringing you a blog about gums this week about how probiotics can help keep your gums healthy. They may even hold the key to restoring damaged tissue.

The Signs of Gum Disease

Think you have gum disease? The signs of the condition include gum tenderness, red gums, bleeding when brushing or flossing, loose teeth, and persistent bad breath.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that can provide health benefits when consumed. These health benefits are typically related to improving or restoring the gut flora, or the level of healthy bacteria in the intestines.

Probiotics are can be taken orally but can also be found in some food, such as yogurt, cheese, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha tea, and miso.

The Study

According to a new study presented by DuPont at the Healthy Aging APAC Summit in Singapore earlier this year, probiotics have benefits in a different part of the body: the mouth. The DuPont research suggests that probiotics can change the makeup of the bacterial biofilm in the mouth, which can help reduce and likely prevent the risk of developing periodontal disease.

DuPont researchers showed evidence in their research regarding the benefits of taking probiotics. These benefits included less inflammation, less bleeding of the gums, and a reduction in the formation of periodontal pockets.

The researchers also showed through their testing of human subjects, individuals living with periodontal disease saw an increase in bacteria levels at the 60 days and 90-day mark while gum disease-causing bacteria levels decreased.

So, it does seem as if increasing probiotic consumption can help reduce gum disease and its associated side effects.

The probiotic used in the DuPont study was Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, which can be found in toothpaste, certain foods, and be taken in pill form.

Do you think you have gum disease? Give Millennium Smiles in Frisco, Texas, a call today at 972-468-8771 to schedule an appointment.