Do Dental Probiotics Really Keep Your Mouth Healthy?

There’s been plenty of chatter online about probiotics and how they can improve your gut health. But did you know that probiotics can enhance your gum and teeth health? Taking probiotics is a natural way of furnishing your dental health with a much-needed boost. Dental probiotics will help balance the amount of bad and good bacteria in your mouth.

Probiotics can help keep several dental issues, such as tooth cavities and gum disease, at bay. You can look at probiotics as a form of preventive dental care in Chicago. You can take probiotics daily to keep your mouth fresh and bacteria-free.

Dental Probiotic, In a Nutshell

You must wonder what probiotics are if you have been looking for healthy alternatives to enhance your overall well-being. Probiotic is a fancy term that means microorganisms, especially bacteria, that have health benefits to humans. In other words, these are healthy bacteria that are safe for humans to consume.

For a long time, doctors have been prescribing antibiotics to deal with pathogenic bacteria in the body. But some strains of bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, so researchers had to look for an alternative. Probiotics have proved to help deal with such bacteria.

Do Dental Probiotics Really Work?

There are plenty of studies that have been carried out just to establish the role probiotics play in oral and gut health. So far, many studies show that they are beneficial to your gut health and oral health.

Some ways that probiotics can help your oral health are:

Bad Breath

Halitosis or bad breath might result because of eating certain strong-smelling foods, dry mouth, poor oral health, or even smoking. It is usually a result of volatile sulfur compounds in your mouth as the bacteria digest food debris.

If you gargle a mouthwash fortified with probiotics, it will help reduce or eliminate the compounds that might cause bad breath. You can also ask our dentist in Chicago, where you can find gum and lozenges that have probiotics that can help fight halitosis.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is deadly to your gum and bone health. It usually builds very slowly and begins with swollen, tender, bleeding gums and sensitive teeth. Periodontitis is a progressive disease that affects your teeth’s supporting tissues, leading to loose teeth and, eventually, tooth loss.

Taking probiotics can help in reducing plaque. If you take probiotic milk daily, there will be a decrease in oral inflammation caused by gum disease.

Cavities and Plaque

Plaque occurs when you ingest foods that are bad for the teeth, such as starchy or sugary foods. When you don’t actively remove plaque by brushing your teeth, then plaque hardens to form tartar. Shortly after, your teeth will develop cavities since bacteria will be in an environment where they will thrive.

But taking probiotics could help fight against cavity-causing bacteria that are present in the mouth. What’s more, if you take probiotic foods such as cheese can neutralize some of the acids that destroy the enamel, which will help strengthen the teeth by adding minerals and preventing cavities.

Are Probiotics Safe?

Probiotics are considered dietary supplements, so they are generally safe. However, if you are unsure, you can always consult with our dentist in Chicago to know which one is right for you. You should also remember that you can lower the risk of getting cavities by performing daily oral hygiene practices.

Which Probiotic Strains Are Best for Dental Health?

Several strains show promise when it comes to enhancing teeth and gum health. However, the ones that are known to improve oral health and prevent dental health issues are:

• Bifidobacterium
• Streptococcus salivarius
• Lactobacillus reuteri

Where Can You Get Foods With Probiotics?

You can always get probiotics in fermented foods. So you might need to incorporate the following in your meals:

• Sour pickles
• Yogurt
• Enhanced milk
• Miso
• Kimchi
• Tempeh
• Sourdough bread
• Soft cheese
• Sauerkraut

You can also get probiotics in supplement forms such as powders, mouthwashes, or pills. Probiotics are more concentrated when you get them in supplement form than in food. So, if you are in the high-risk of infection category, you should consult before taking probiotic supplements.

We are always here for your benefit. Contact us at Dental Impressions if you have any questions concerning probiotics.