Published Paper Details:

Probiotics are dietary supplements, that have been advocated for the prevention and the treatment of various diseases. These products consist of essential micro-organisms, which stimulate health promoting flora thus, suppressing the pathologic colonization. Now time has arrived so that paradigm of treatment is shifted from elimination of specific bacteria to altering bacterial ecology by using probiotics. They have shown promising effects in the oral health with respect to control of chronic disease like periodontitis, dental caries and recurring problems like candidal infections, halitosis, aphthous ulcers etc. Probiotics form a biofilm in oral cavity that is protective against oral diseases. Since, probiotics are now widely used in both medical and dental specialties, a thorough understanding of their risks and benefits are essential. This review focuses on the recent trends in use of probiotics in dentistry, to understand the mechanism of action of probiotic bacteria in the oral cavity as well as the potential risks associated with it.