Clinical Study on the Improvement Effect of a Lactic Acid Bacterium-containing Dentifrice (Avantbise®) on Oral Hygiene

Abstract

Objective: The effect of brushing teeth with dentifrice containing Enterococcus faecium WB2000 on oral health was assessed in a double-blind randomized study. Materials and Methods: This study included 68 adult volunteers who provided informed consent to participate in the research project. The subjects cleaned their teeth with a dentifrice containing E. faecium WB2000 or placebo for four weeks. Oral assessment and saliva collection were performed on the day before study (baseline), and after two weeks and four weeks, and changes in oral health were evaluated. Quantitative analyses of the oral bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, E. faecium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium spp., Prevotella intermedia and Treponema denticola in saliva samples were performed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total of 59 subjects including 30 (25 males, 5 females; mean age 44.3 ± 3.9 years) in the experimental group and 29 (22 males, 7 females; mean age 43.9 ± 4.2 years) in the placebo group were analyzed. There were no differences in age, gender, smoking habit, or oral clinical parameters between the two groups. In the experimental group, the amount of saliva significantly increased and salivary buffering capacity significantly improved after four weeks. The degree of plaque adherence was significantly decreased after two weeks in the experimental group and after four weeks in the placebo group. The index for periodontitis was significantly increased after four weeks in the placebo group, but was unchanged in the experimental group. Quantitative analyses of salivary bacteria revealed that the proportion of S. sobrinus, a cariogenic bacterium, was significantly decreased in the experimental group, but significantly increased in the placebo. Concerning periodontopathic bacteria, the proportions of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P intermedia significantly decreased in both groups, those of T denticola increased in the experimental group, and those of Fusobacterium spp. increased in the placebo group. The proportion of E. faecium significantly decreased in both groups. Conclusion: Brushing of teeth using the dentifrice containing E. faecium WB2000 improved oral health, as measured by an increased volume of saliva, significantly improved salivary buffering capacity, decreased dental plaque attachment, and reduced proportion of S. sobrinus, suggesting an anti-cariogenic effect in the oral cavity.