Effectiveness of CRT at Measuring the Salivary Level of Bacteria in Caries Print Children with Probiotic Therapy

Authors: Cannon M, Trent B, Vorachek A, Kramer S, Esterly R — Northwestern University and Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL

Journal: The Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry | Published: 2013 | Volume 38, Number 1

Abstract

Aim: This IRB-approved clinical trial was designed to determine the effect of over-the-counter probiotic supplements on Caries Risk Test (CRT, Ivoclar) results of the oral microflora in high caries risk children.

Study Design: Sixty subjects aged 6–12 years with a caries risk assessment (CAMBRA) of moderate to high were evaluated by analysis of differences in salivary levels of pathogenic bacteria (mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli). Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups:

• Group A: PerioBalance (Lactobacillus reuteri, 200 million CFU) lozenges for 28 days
• Group B: EvoraKids (Streptococcus uberis KJ2, Streptococcus oralis KJ3, Streptococcus rattus JH145, ≥100 million CFU) chewable tablets for 30 days

Salivary samples were collected and incubated for 48 hours for colony counting and ranking. Follow-up testing with the CRT was performed after 60 days.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in CRT results between pre- and post-use of both probiotic products:

Conclusions

Both EvoraKids (containing the ProBiora3® blend) and PerioBalance significantly affected CRT results by decreasing the number of S. mutans and Lactobacilli present in salivary samples. The CRT values obtained with caries-prone children may be significantly affected by probiotic use, supporting the role of ProBiora3® as an effective adjunct in caries prevention in pediatric patients.