title: Changes in the oral ecosystem induced by the use of 8% arginine toothpaste.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bacterial metabolism of arginine in the oral cavity has a pH-raising and thus, potential anti-caries effect. However, the influence of arginine on the oral microbial ecosystem remains largely unresolved.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this pilot study, nine healthy individuals used toothpaste containing 8% arginine for eight weeks. Saliva was collected to determine arginolytic potential and sucrose metabolic activity at the Baseline, Week 4, Week 8 and after a two weeks Wash-out period. To follow the effects on microbial ecology, 16S rDNA sequencing on saliva and plaque samples at Baseline and Week 8 and metagenome sequencing on selected saliva samples of the same time-points was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, the arginolytic potential of saliva increased, while the sucrose metabolism in saliva decreased. These effects were reversed during the Wash-out period. Although a few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in plaque changed in abundance during the study period, there was no real shift in the plaque microbiome. In the saliva microbiome there was a significant compositional shift, specifically the genus Veillonella had increased significantly in abundance at Week 8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indeed, the presence of arginine in toothpaste affects the arginolytic capacity of saliva and reduces its sucrose metabolic activity. Additionally, it leads to a shift in the salivary microbiome composition towards a healthy ecology from a caries point of view. Therefore, arginine can be regarded as a genuine oral prebiotic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Koopman
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hoogenkamp
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Buijs
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bernd W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.affiliation: Research Group Microbiology and Systems Biology, TNO Earth, Life and Social Sciences, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart J F
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Keijser
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Crielaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacob M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ten Cate
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: e.zaura@acta.nl.
authors.forename: Egija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zaura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects*; D009055:Mouth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014100:Toothpastes; D001120:Arginine
keywords: Arginine; Microbiome; Oral ecology; Prebiotic