Oral Microbial Shift Following 1-Month Supplementation of Probiotic Chewable Tablets Containing Lactobacillus reuteri UBLRu-87 as an Adjunct to Phase 1 Periodontal Therapy in Chronic Periodontitis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

CONTEXT: Although Lactobacilli as a probiotic was established as a treatment for a wide range of systemic infections, its role in periodontitis and oral microbiota is still under investigation.

AIMS: The present randomized clinical trial was aimed to evaluate the effects of probiotic chewable tablets containing Lactobacillus reuteri UBLRu-87 along with initial periodontal therapy on clinical parameters and oral microbiota of chronic periodontitis (CP) patients.

SETTINGS AND

DESIGN

The randomized controlled clinical trial.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

Thirty CP patients were selected who received scaling and root planing (SRP) and were randomly allocated into two treatment groups; Groups A and B. Group A received L. reuteri-containing chewable probiotic tablets. The clinical parameters (plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level), and microbiological parameters (Porphyromonas gingivalis and L. reuteri levels using real-time polymerase chain reaction) were evaluated at baseline, following treatment at 1 month and 3 months in both groups.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Paired t-test and unpaired t-test were used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

On intergroup analysis, statistically significant improvement in clinical as well as microbiological parameters was observed in Group A (SRP + PROBIOTIC) compared to Group B (SRP ALONE) at all evaluation time points.

CONCLUSION

Probiotic chewable tablets containing L. reuteri may be a useful adjunct along with initial periodontal therapy to slow recolonization of periopathogens along with improvement in clinical outcomes of CP. Further long-term trials are necessary to establish the optimal dosage of probiotics.