title: Probiotics for future caries control: a short-term clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare mutans streptococci levels in saliva, before and after consumption of probiotic ice-cream and curds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty caries free children in the age group of 12-14 years were selected and equally divided into four groups I, II, III, IV. Children in group I and II were given 100 ml probiotic ice-cream and plain ice cream respectively and group III and IV were given 100 ml probiotic curd and plain curd respectively for a period of 7 days. Saliva samples were assessed at baseline, 1 hour after consumption and after 7 days intervention period using Mitis salivarius Bacitracin agar. The number of colonies was counted and subjected to statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study revealed a reduction in salivary mutans streptococci (MS) counts after 1 hour in all the groups. However after 7 days, probiotic ice-cream and curd showed a statistically significant (P < 0.001) reduction in MS counts as compared to the control ice cream and curd. The difference in the reduction of MS counts with probiotic ice-cream and probiotic curd at 1 hour and 7 days was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of probiotic products could be an alternative strategy of displacing pathogenic microorganisms by probiotic bacteria and can thus be exploited for the prevention of enamel demineralization.
authors.forename: Anitha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chinnappa
authors.forename: Harish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konde
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, AECS Maaruthi College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sapna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konde
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Beena
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D019936:Probiotics