title: Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 on halitosis and oral health: an open-label pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate whether oral administration of lactobacilli alters the degree of halitosis and clinical conditions associated with halitosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with genuine halitosis were given 2.0 x 10(9)Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 and xylitol in tablet form daily. Oral malodor and clinical parameters were evaluated at the same time of day for each patient after 2 and 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 20 patients were positive for L. salivarius DNA in their saliva at 2 weeks, although 12 patients were negative for this organism at baseline. Oral malodor parameters significantly decreased at 2 weeks in the subjects with physiologic halitosis. The scores of an organoleptic test and bleeding on probing significantly decreased at 4 weeks in the subjects with oral pathologic halitosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral administration of probiotic lactobacilli primarily improved physiologic halitosis and also showed beneficial effects on bleeding on probing from the periodontal pocket.
authors.affiliation: Section of General Dentistry, Department of General Dentistry, Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirofuji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001944:Breath Tests; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006209:Halitosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D013457:Sulfur Compounds