Life

Ask the Dentist: Oral probiotics even better than the wee-al thing

Dentist Lucy Stock at Gentle Dental Care in Belfast asks, do probiotic pills help to prevent tooth decay?

When in Rome... though these days, thankfully, we no longer use urine as a mouthwash
When in Rome... though these days, thankfully, we no longer use urine as a mouthwash When in Rome... though these days, thankfully, we no longer use urine as a mouthwash

TWO thousand years ago the Romans used to buy bottled Portuguese urine to purge bacteria from their mouths. This practice was so popular that Emperor Nero had to place a tax on it.

The thought process behind this revolves around the presence of ammonia in urine which aided in disinfection and could whiten teeth. In fact, urine remained one of the most effective ingredients in mouthwashes until the 18th century.

Today researches have been looking into the science behind this idea. In order for the mouth to remain healthy, the acid-alkaline balance has to be at neutral. Too acidic and oral bacteria feeding on carbohydrates will cause holes in the teeth.

The change in mouth-acidity levels has left a trail of destruction across the world, with 60 per cent to 90 per cent of schoolchildren and nearly 100 per cent of adults having dental cavities, while 29 per cent suffer from regular dental pain.

Two compounds, urea and arginine, are secreted naturally in everybody's mouth. When these compounds are broken down they form ammonia and it's the ammonia that helps neutralise acid in the mouth. So swilling with urine which contains ammonia isn't such a bizarre idea after all. Fear not, though – I'm not suggesting pee mouthwash just yet.

Scientists have found that some people are better at breaking down arginine and that these people have fewer or no cavities in their teeth. Florida University researchers have been looking at the bacteria that are responsible for breaking down arginine and urea, to find out which one was the most efficient at producing ammonia. It is hoped that one day a probiotic drink packed with good ammonia making bacterium could be produced to prevent cavities.

They found that a previously unidentified strain of streptococcus, currently called A12, could reduce the risk of cavities. Lead author of the study, Robert Burne explained: “Just as we might use a probiotic approach to the gut to promote health, a similar strategy could be effective for the mouth.You would implant this probiotic in a healthy child or adult who might be at risk of developing cavities. The idea is that you could prevent a decline in oral health by populating the patient with natural beneficial organisms.”

While the development of an effective oral probiotic is still a long way off, A12 looks a promising bacteria candidate to be utilised.