The mouth is an important part of the digestive system and will, therefore, benefit greatly from probiotics. Unlike other parts of the digestive system, probiotic foods and supplements might not have a major impact in the mouth.
The mouth needs to be kept clean and free from bad bacteria. To do this, a lot of people make use of activated charcoal toothpaste. And also visit health food stores. At these food stores, they are able to purchase oral essentials that are rich in vitamins and superfoods.
While activated charcoal toothpaste and oral essentials that are supplemented with vitamins and superfoods can keep your mouth free from bacteria, there are other ingredients that can help with the mouth. These ingredients are called probiotics.
When looking to keep your oral cavity free from bacteria, you might not be able to make use of regular probiotic supplements. This is where probiotic toothpaste comes in.
Probiotic Toothpastes Create a Balance between Good and Bad Bacteria
There are lots of benefits associated with brushing with probiotic toothpaste. To start with, there are lots of chemicals in regular toothpaste. These chemicals can be trusted to rid the mouth of bad bacteria. Nonetheless, they are not always good.
Why is this so?
When used to clean the mouth, regular toothpaste kills bad bacteria, as well as good bacteria. To a large extent, toothpaste that is fluoride-based can be likened to antibiotics in the way they function.
Probiotics have a reputation for bringing a good degree of balance to the gut. That, however, is not all they do. They are beneficial to the mouth also. Bad bacteria leave in various parts of the mouth. Some live in open places while others are positioned deep in gum pockets and exist without having access to oxygen. While brushing, getting frequent cleanings and flossing can keep the mouth free from bad bacteria, when probiotic toothpaste is used in washing the mouth, they can create a balance that favors good bacteria.
When probiotic toothpaste is used in cleaning the oral cavity, they give beneficial bacteria the upper hand over non-beneficial bacteria. When this is done, it promotes dental health. This is in addition to pushing out bad bacteria that are responsible for causing bad breath.
Although there are many products that can keep the oral cavity free from bad bacteria that lead to bad breath, these products are not free from antimicrobial ingredients and harsh preservatives. This works well in keeping the mouth free from bad bacteria. They, however, have a negative effect on the good bacteria in the mouth
They have a Major Effect on the Gut
It is common knowledge that oral health and good bacteria have a relationship. While probiotic toothpaste is beneficial to the oral cavity, do they also have an effect on the gut?
The answer to this is yes.
Digestion is a long process that begins taking place in the mouth. Averagely, everyone swallows about 800 to 2000 times every day. Due to this, bacteria can always find its way into the gut from the mouth.
Prebiotic and probiotic dental products are beneficial in keeping the gut free from bad bacteria. Beyond these products, foods that are rich in probiotics also play a role in keeping the balance in the gut in favor of good bacteria. You can take advantage of this by feeding on natural and diverse diets that have not gone through a lot of processing. Doing this will make the bacteria in the oral cavity favorable to the gut.
That’s not all. Beyond the fact that everyone swallows between 800 to 2000 times daily, if a nutrient is beneficial to a part of the body, there is a huge likelihood that it will also be beneficial to other parts of the body. Going by this, it really does not matter how you get your prebiotics and probiotics. What matters is your mouth, as well as other parts of your body, will benefit greatly.
They Fight Bad Breath
There have been lots of studies on the effect of probiotics on the bad breath which is caused by bad bacteria either in the gut or in the mouth.
A research was carried out in which 23 people made use of an antimicrobial mouthwash. This was followed by using a supplement that contained Streptococcus salivarius or a placebo. This research lasted three days. After this research, it was discovered that there was a major reduction in the number of bacteria that cause bad breath in people that made use of the probiotic supplement.
They Prevent Plague
The average person has various types of bacteria in their mouth. These bacteria affect the oral cavity in various ways. Some have a reputation for causing the plague.
According to a study that was carried out in 2016, a strain of bacteria known as A12 can help protect the body from Streptococcus mutans. This bacterium is known for causing a cavity. Streptococcus mutans converts sugar to lactic acid. When this is done, it causes the environment in the oral cavity to become acidic. This can cause plague and cavities. This research involved growing A12 bacteria and S. mutans in the lab simultaneously. After this was done, S. Mutans was unable to cause any plague as it was prevented by A12 bacteria.
They Manage Gingivitis Symptoms
According to a study that was carried out in 2006, probiotic toothpaste can come in handy in reducing the symptoms of gingivitis. When gingivitis, which is also known as gum disease occurs, it causes swellings in the gum.
In research that involved 59 people with gingivitis, a supplement that contained either a placebo or a probiotic bacterium was distributed. After two weeks, the participants in this research were tested and it was discovered that the group of participants that took very high doses of probiotics saw major improvements.
It Fights Against Oral Cancer
According to research that was carried out in 2013, a bacterium known as Lactobacillus salivarius lowered oral cancer in rats. While this means it could have the same effect on humans, a lot of studies are needed for things to be clear.
