Short-term effect of chewing gums containing probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri on the levels of inflammatory mediators in gingival crevicular fluid.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a chewing gum containing probiotic bacteria on gingival inflammation and the levels of selected inflammatory mediators in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).


METHODS
Forty-two healthy adults with moderate levels of gingival inflammation entered a double-blind placebo-controlled study design. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three parallel arms: Group A/P was given one active and one placebo gum daily, Group A/A received two active chewing gums, and Group P/P two placebo gums. The chewing gums contained two strains of Lactobacillus reuteri: ATCC 55730 and ATCC PTA 5289 (1 x 10(8) CFU/gum, respectively). The subjects were instructed to chew the gums for 10 min over the course of 2 weeks. Bleeding on probing (BOP) and GCF sampling were conducted at baseline and after 1, 2 and 4 weeks. The levels of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 were determined using luminex technology and multiplex immunoassay kits.


RESULTS
BOP improved and GCF volume decreased in all groups during the chewing period, but the results were statistically significant (p<0.05) only in Groups A/P and A/A. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 decreased significantly (p<0.05) in Group A/A compared with baseline after 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. A non-significant decreasing tendency was also observed concerning IL-1beta during the chewing period. The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were unaffected in all groups after 1 and 2 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
The reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in GCF may be proof of principle for the probiotic approach combating inflammation in the oral cavity.
Twetman
Svante
S
Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. stw@odont.ku.dk
Derawi
Bilal
B
Keller
Mette
M
Ekstrand
Kim
K
Yucel-Lindberg
Tulay
T
Stecksen-Blicks
Christina
C
D000328:Adult; D002638:Chewing Gum / Q000382:microbiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D052200:Limosilactobacillus reuteri; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D002638:Chewing Gum; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha