CHARACTERIZATION OF ORAL LACTOBACILLI AS POTENTIAL PROBIOTICS FOR ORAL HEALTH

Intestinal lactobacilli have been successfully used as probiotics to treat gastrointestinal disorders. The pro-biotic properties of oral lactobacilli to combat oral diseases were evaluated in a study which was aimed to characterize oral lactobacilli for their potential properties according to the international guidelines for the evaluation of probiotics, and to select potential probiotics strain for oral health. Patients included 67 salivary and sub-gingival lactobacilli of 10 species, isolated from healthy humans. All strains were identified using amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, tested for antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens, tolerance of low pH and bile content, followed by lysozyme tolerance. The antibiotic susceptibility of 22 potential pro-biotic strains was also assessed. Results showed that majority of strains suppressed the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycete , Mcomitans, Prophyromonas gingivalis, Prevoltella intermedia, and Streptococcus mutans, but none of them inhibited Candida albicans. The lowest pH tolerated by lactobacilli following 4hr of incubation was pH 2.5, but none of the strains grew at this pH. All strains tolerated a high concentration of human bile (5% V/v).Four Lactobacillus plantarum and two Lactobacillus oris strains expressed resistance to tetracycline and doxycycline.

These results state that strains of Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus salivarius , and Lactobacillus rhamnosus expressed both high antimicrobial activity and high tolerance of environmental stress and thus concludes that oral lactobacilli can be used as potent pro- biotics for oral health.