• MEDIUM
  • Research
  • Tier 2
  • Clinical & Visual

Systematic review evaluates clinical outcomes of probiotics as an adjunct to periodontal

Source
Today's RDH
Author
Spring Hatfield, RDH, BSPH

Summary and scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol. Not the original publisher.

Why it matters for dental

Periodontists and hygienists may weigh the modest BOP and biofilm reductions against the low certainty of evidence and risk-of-bias findings when considering adjunctive probiotic use after NSPT.

Key points

  1. 01

    The systematic review and meta-analysis included 24 randomized controlled trials with 951 participants.

  2. 02

    In gingivitis trials, probiotic adjuncts produced no statistically significant reductions in biofilm index, bleeding on probing, or probing pocket depth.

  3. 03

    In periodontitis trials, probiotic groups showed statistically significant reductions in biofilm index and bleeding on probing, but probing pocket depth reductions were neither statistically nor clinically significant.

  4. 04

    Only two long-term trials using Limosilactobacillus reuteri reported greater reductions in bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and biofilm index at 52 weeks versus placebo, yet placebo groups also improved.

Who should care

  • Specialist
  • Academia / research

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