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Oral Pathogens (oral + pathogen)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	80%

Selected Abstracts

Probiotics and oral health effects in children

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 1 2008
SVANTE TWETMAN
Background., Probiotics are living micro-organisms added to food which beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Objective., This paper aims to present a general background on probiotics and its health effects in children, and to examine the evidence for oral colonization and the possible impact on oral health in children and young adults. Methods., For delivery and general health effects, recent systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other relevant papers were used. Concerning oral installation and oral effects, a broad search for publications in English was conducted through February 2007 in PubMed. Studies describing an installation or intervention trial in humans with a controlled design and an oral endpoint measure were considered. Fourteen papers with dental focus were identified, of which two were narrative reviews. Results., Only one study of dental interest was conducted in children. Four papers dealt with oral installation of probiotic bacteria, and although detectable levels were found in saliva shortly after intake, the studies failed to demonstrate a long-term installation. Seven papers evaluated the effect of lactobacilli- or bifidobacteria-derived probiotics on the salivary levels of caries-associated bacteria in placebo-controlled designs. All but one reported a hampering effect on mutans streptococci and/or yeast. The single study carried out in early childhood reported a significant caries reduction in 3- to 4-year-old children after 7 months of daily consumption of probiotic milk. Conclusion., Bacteriotheraphy in the form of probiotic bacteria with an inhibitory effect on oral pathogens is a promising concept, especially in childhood, but this may not necessarily lead to improved oral health. Further placebo controlled trials that assess carefully selected and defined probiotic strains using standardized outcomes are needed before any clinical recommendations can be made. [source]

Effect of periodontal treatment on the activity of chitinase in whole saliva of periodontitis patients

JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2002
G. J. Van Steijn
Human salivary chitinase could play a role in the defence against chitin-containing oral pathogens. The activity levels of chitinase in the whole saliva of periodontitis patients were significantly higher than those in saliva from controls. Periodontal treatment for a period of 5,6 months resulted in a three- to fourfold decrease in this enzyme activity. The activity of ,- N -acetylhexosaminidase, which is another enzyme that hydrolyses glycosidic linkages, also decreased as a result of treatment, although to a lesser extent. The decrease in chitinase activity upon treatment of the disease did not correlate with the decrease that was seen in clinical attachment loss and bleeding on probing, and only a weak correlation was observed with the changes in probing pocket depth and plaque index. No correlations were found between the above clinical parameters and the decrease in ,- N -acetylhexosaminidase activity. [source]

Effects of areca nut extracts on the functions of human neutrophils in vitro

JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2000
Shan-Ling Hung
Aqueous extracts of ripe areca nut without husk (ripe ANE) and fresh and tender areca nut with husk (tender ANE) were examined for their effects on the defensive functions of human neutrophils. Exposure of peripheral blood neutrophils to ripe ANE and tender ANE inhibited their bactericidal activity against oral pathogens, including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Streptococcus mutans, in a dose-dependent manner. At the concentrations tested, ripe and tender ANEs did not significantly affect the viability of neutrophils as verified by their ability to exclude trypan blue dye. However, both ANEs inhibited the production of bactericidal superoxide anion by neutrophils as measured by cytochrome c reduction. Moreover, the ripe ANE inhibited neutrophils more effectively than did tender ANE. Arecoline, a major alkaloid of areca nut, only exhibited an inhibitory effect on the functions of neutrophils when high concentrations were used. Therefore, arecoline could not be used to explain the inhibitory effects observed for ANEs. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that ripe and tender ANEs reduced the antibacterial activity and the superoxide anion production of neutrophils. This effect may contribute to a less efficient elimination of bacteria from the periodontal environment. Inhibition of the antimicrobial functions of neutrophils may alter the microbial ecology of the oral cavity, and this may be one possible mechanism by which areca nut compromises the oral health of users of areca nut products. [source]

Ceragenin CSA-13 exhibits antimicrobial activity against cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria

MOLECULAR ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
E. Isogai
Introduction:, Ceragenin CSA-13 is a bile-acid-based mimic of endogenous antimicrobial peptides and shares a mechanism of action with many of these antimicrobial agents. Because CSA-13 is not peptide based, it is not a substrate for the proteases that are found in the oral cavity, which are capable of degrading antimicrobial peptides. Furthermore, the simplicity of the ceragenins makes them easier to prepare and purify than antimicrobial peptides. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial activities of CSA-13 against oral pathogens and found that this compound was bactericidal against all of the strains tested. Methods:, The strains used were isolates of Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas species. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined using agar dilution methods. In susceptibility testing, viable counts were determined after incubation with CSA-13. Results:, CSA-13 was potent against all 23 strains tested with MICs of 1,8 ,g/ml for S. mutans and 1,16 ,g/ml for 24 strains of the genus Porphyromonas. The MIC50 was 2 and the MIC90 was 8 ,g/ml for S. mutans. MIC ranges for protease-positive P. gingivalis and P. cangingivaliswere 2,16 ,g/ml, and 1,2 ,g/ml for protease-negative P. circumdentaria. CSA-13 interacted with lipopolysaccharide-sensitized erythrocytes at a concentration of 5.0,20.0 ,g/ml. Conclusion:, CSA-13 displays broad-spectrum activity against cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria. CSA-13 was effective against protease-positive Porphyromonas. It was shown to bind to erythrocytes coated with lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid from diverse bacterial strains. These results suggest that CSA-13 may be useful for the prevention and treatment of oral microbial diseases. [source]

Modified Oligosaccharides as Potential Dental Plaque Control Materials

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 5 2004
Eun-Seong Seo
Metabolic acids produced by oral pathogens demineralize tooth surfaces, leading to dental caries. Glucosyltransferases are the key factor in this process. We synthesized various modified oligosaccharides and tested them for their inhibitory effects on glucosyltransferase activity. Oligosaccharides were produced using a mixed-culture fermentation of Lipomyces starkeyi and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and then further modified as iron- and sulfate-oligosaccharides. Iron- and sulfate-oligosaccharides reduced glucosyltransferase activity of Streptococci from 17% to 43% and prevented the formation of insoluble biomass on the surface of glass vials or stainless steel wires in the presence of sucrose. They also reduced the growth and acid productions of oral pathogens including S. mutans, S. sobrinus, Eikenella corrodens, Prevotella intermedia, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcmitans. [source]