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Probiotics for OralHealth

Probiotics are all the rage for gut health. Can they improve oral health, too?

What are Probiotics?

Likely a term you've already heard from several yogurt commercials, probiotics are essentially good bacteria. We naturally ingest bacteria every day through several sources, which can affect our health.

Historically, probiotics have been promoted as being helpful to rebalance bacteria levels in the gut and have proven useful in doing so for those suffering gut disorders caused by an overabundance of bad bacteria. As probiotics have been so helpful with gut bacteria, researchers are starting to study whether the same good bacteria can also be beneficial for our oral health.

Where Can I Find Probiotics?

Probiotics occur naturally in many dairy and fermented foods or in dietary supplements. Foods that naturally contain probiotics are:

Make sure to discuss probiotics with your doctor before changing your diet or starting any dietary supplements.

How do Probiotics Work?

Probiotics fight off bad bacteria in several ways:

How Could Probiotics Help Oral Health?

Though research on the effect probiotics have on oral health is ongoing and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved oral probiotics for medical use, several studies suggest that probiotics may have oral health benefits: