Probiotics for Dental Health

Probiotics for dental health
If you’re looking for ways to support oral health, dental probiotics are an effective way to balance your mouth’s microbiome for healthy gums, teeth, and breath.*

What This Article Covers:

Probiotics for Dental Health

We all know by now that probiotics can work wonders for gut health.* 

Like the gut, the mouth also contains a blend of good and bad bacteria, roughly 700 different strains. (1) Sometimes, the harmful bacteria can outweigh the good bacteria. This can lead to bad breath, halitosis, white tongue, and even gum disease.

One of the best ways to combat these issues is to ensure that your mouth’s microbiome stays as balanced as possible.* To accomplish this, many people turn to dental probiotics.* 

Dental probiotics help repopulate your oral microbiome and protect your teeth from cavities (dental caries) that can further exacerbate dental problems.*

In this article, we explain what probiotics and dental probiotics are, what they benefit, and how to use them effectively to optimize your dental health.* 

What Are Dental Probiotics? 

Probiotics are supplements that can help balance your bacterial microbiome.* Your microbiome is the collection of bacteria, fungi, and other organisms that naturally populate your entire intestinal tract, from your mouth to ‘down south.’ In fact, your microbiome extends beyond the gastrointestinal tract. The average person’s body houses up to six pounds of bacteria that live throughout our bodies, collectively known as the microbiome. (2)

A delicate balance of these natural probiotics is needed for overall health.*  Probiotic supplements contain live bacteria that help to balance your body’s microbiome, promoting healthy bacteria balance in the body.*

Many people take probiotics to support a healthy ratio of good and bad bacteria in their gut.* Dysbiosis, or imbalanced gut bacterial levels, can lead to a sore stomach, problems digesting food, and other issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).*

You can take probiotics in many different forms, such as pills, powders, liquids, and even certain foods. 

Oral probiotics support the colonies of bacteria and yeast that live in and around the mouth.* The bacteria that live naturally in our mouths help to keep our teeth healthy by controlling plaque growth and conditions like gingivitis.* 

Foods With Probiotics

Because food enters the body through the mouth, certain foods can actually help the microbiome of both the mouth and gut. 

If you’re just trying to dip your toe into the world of probiotics and better gut and microbiome health, starting with food is a great idea. 

However, many people choose to take dental probiotic supplements as they contain much higher amounts of probiotics than foods.* 

Here’s a list of probiotic-containing foods:

Yogurt

All yogurt, whether dairy or non-dairy, contains live bacteria. This is a great source of probiotics and is easy on the mouth and gut, especially if you’ve already got periodontal disease or mouth problems. 

It’s lovely on its own or can be used as a condiment or blended in smoothies to add a probiotic kick to your favorite meals.

Kimchi 

Kimchi is a fermented food, meaning it contains live bacteria. 

It’s a Korean side dish made from salted and fermented veggies, often cabbage and radish, and flavored with chili, garlic, spring onions, and fish sauce. Not only is it crunchy, spicy, and delicious, but it also provides the health benefits of probiotics thanks to the live bacteria. 

Kimchi can be added to salads to spice up plain greens or spooned into a bowl of noodles.

Sauerkraut

Similar to kimchi, sauerkraut is a German delicacy. Making sauerkraut involves fermenting cabbage leaves to create a crunchy and sour slaw-like topping that can be added to most dishes for flavor and a probiotic punch. 

Some people add a helping of raisins to their sauerkraut for a pop of sweetness to offset the tartness of the dish. While raisins are delicious, they’re also high in sugar and can easily get stuck in teeth, which can become food for pathogenic dental bacteria.

So Then, Why a Dental Probiotic? 

Most people associate probiotic bacteria with gut health. Much like the gut, the mouth also hosts hundreds of bacteria and is our first line of defense against the millions of pathogens and toxins that we inadvertently swallow each day! 

Dental probiotics aim to support a healthy oral microbiome, which in turn, promotes dental health.*

Good oral health is essential for having fresh breath, balanced pH levels in your oral cavity, and warding off cavities and other dental problems. 

Small changes in the oral microbiome can lead to big problems. Because the mouth and teeth have so many different types of bacteria constantly influencing the microbiome, a healthy balance of bacteria is required to maintain long-term dental health.* 

With all of the different micro-organisms in your mouth, an imbalance of these bacteria can lead to various dental issues, ranging from plaque to cavities, gum and oral diseases, and even root canal issues.

Taking probiotics for the mouth can support long-term dental health and your entire body’s microbiome.* 

probiotics for teeth

How Do Probiotics Help My Teeth?

As mentioned, our mouths have over 700 types of bacteria growing in them at all times. (1)

Some of this is harmful bacteria, and some of it is beneficial bacteria. The ideal ratio is thought to be about 80 percent “good” bacteria and 20 percent “bad” bacteria – this is considered a healthy and balanced microbiome. However, when the harmful bacteria outnumber the good, they tend to stick and grow on our teeth, leading to plaque build-up. 

If you’ve ever been to a dentist or oral hygienist, you’ve probably experienced the awful sensation of them scraping the plaque off your teeth. This is the bad bacteria that grows, often accelerated by consuming sugary food and drink.

This bacteria overgrowth can also affect your gums. If you’ve ever struggled with sore or inflamed gums, you may want to speak with your dentist about probiotics for gum disease.* 

By taking probiotics for dental health, you complement your existing dental health routine by helping soften the plaque that grows.* This can lead to less hard plaque build-up and a happier mouth (and dentist!).*

Benefits of Dental Probiotics

Oral Thrush

Oral thrush is a fungal overgrowth that can result in a sore, red, and itchy mouth, with a white tongue or white spots on your tongue. 

Because dental probiotics support bacterial balance in the mouth, if you’re struggling with oral thrush, taking probiotics will help balance the bacteria out to discourage oral thrush growth.* 

Bad Breath

Having bad breath (halitosis ) can be a sign that you have oral or dental issues. Certain types of bad breath are caused by dental cavities where bad bacteria can start to grow, creating tooth decay which in turn creates bad breath.

Many people find relief from this embarrassing  issue by taking probiotics for halitosis.* 

Dry Mouth

If you’re struggling with a dry mouth, the first step is to ensure you are properly hydrated. Dehydration is a common cause of dry mouth. You may also want to consider a dental probiotic, as an imbalanced oral microbiome can lead to a dry mouth.* 

Many people suffer from dry mouth when they take new medication or antibiotics. Sometimes this doesn’t go away. 

Certain types of medication disrupt your body’s microbiome balance. Some medications have a dehydrating effect, leading to inflammation and the overgrowth of certain types of bacteria.

Talk to your healthcare team about using probiotics for dry mouth, and ask them to evaluate any other reasons you may be experiencing this issue.*

Respiratory Infections

Because most respiratory issues start in the mouth and throat, it makes sense that dental probiotics can also benefit your respiratory system.*

Infections such as strep throat, sinusitis, common colds, and bronchitis are caused by bacteria or viruses. Having a healthy oral microbiome supports your oral cavity’s natural immune system defenses.* By populating your oral microbiome with healthy bacteria, you are also supporting upper respiratory health.*

Summary

Whether you’re suffering from bad breath, gum disease, cavities, or just want to look after your oral hygiene, having a healthy oral microbiome is at the root of oral care. Taking dental probiotics supports tooth and gum health by maintaining a balanced ratio of healthy bacteria in your mouth.* Because your mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body, having a healthy oral microbiome isn’t just crucial for oral health, but for the health of your entire body.* 

Probiotics for Dental Health FAQs

What Strain Should I Take? 

For dental probiotics, you should look out for these strains of bacteria as they target the oral microbiome: L. salivarius, L. reuteri, L. paracasei, and L. sakei.*

If you’re looking to support your oral microbiome and dental health, we recommend PRO-Dental: Dental Probiotics For Oral Support.* This dental probiotic supplement contains four different strains of targeted oral bacteria that play important roles in dental health.*  

Can I Take Probiotics with Antibiotics?

Many doctors recommend taking probiotics during and after antibiotics. This is because antibiotic drugs kill all the bacteria in your body, both good and bad.

By taking both, you help repopulate your microbiome with healthy bacteria killed off by the antibiotic treatment.*

Why Do I Need to Take Dental Probiotics if I Take Normal Probiotics?

Most probiotics are designed to support gut health.* They contain species that are known to support digestive health.*

Dental probiotics contain bacterial strains that are naturally found in the mouth. These strains have been researched for their efficacy in supporting oral and dental health.*

PRO-Dental by Hyperbiotics is a high-quality dental probiotic-containing four targeted probiotic strains to help support oral, dental, and upper respiratory health.* Each mint flavor chewable tablet also helps fight bad breath at its source.* 

The targeted probiotic strains in PRO-Dental:

  • Work together to help lessen plaque buildup*
  • Help crowd out “bad” bacteria in the mouth
  • Address the root cause of unhealthy gums and bad breath*
  • Support healthy ears, nose, throat, sinuses, and respiratory health* 

If you’re looking to support your dental or respiratory health, look no further.*

 Get PRO-Dental HERE

Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking:

References

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1287824
  2. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-human-microbiome-project-defines-normal-bacterial-makeup-body

This blog is for information and education purposes only. This information is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions in regards to a medical condition. A qualified healthcare professional can best assist you in deciding whether a dietary supplement is suitable based on your individual needs. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Related Articles

BLIS Probiotics for Oral Health*

Pre- and Probiotics for Leaky Gut and IBS

Probiotic-Rich Foods for Leaky Gut Syndrome

4 Ways Prebiotics & Probiotics Can Help with Leaky Gut Syndrome

What Is Leaky Gut?

Probiotics for Vaginal Health