A recent study published in Oral Diseases has found that a combination of probiotics and antibiotics is more effective for managing periodontal diseases than using either treatment alone. This research highlights the potential of probiotics as valuable adjuncts to non-surgical periodontal therapy, particularly scaling and root planing (SRP).
As antibiotic resistance becomes a growing concern, probiotics are being explored as alternatives to traditional antimicrobial treatments.
The systematic review aimed to compare the effectiveness of probiotics with antibiotics in managing conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis. Researchers conducted a comprehensive search across six electronic databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane, and the Clinical Trial Registry. They retrieved a total of 5,530 articles, narrowing it down to 1,891 for title and abstract screening. Ultimately, ten clinical studies were included for detailed data extraction and analysis.
Key parameters measured in these studies included probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and microbial profiles. The results indicated that probiotics significantly reduced PPD and CAL compared to antibiotics alone. However, antibiotics were more effective in decreasing PI and GI. Notably, the combination of probiotics and antibiotics yielded superior results compared to either treatment used independently.
This study suggests that while probiotics can serve as an alternative to antibiotics in managing periodontal diseases, their combined use with antibiotics is more effective. This finding opens new avenues for treatment strategies aimed at improving oral health while addressing the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance.