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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research

Short term effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and probiotic L. salivarius WB21 on halitosis: A controlled and randomized clinical trial.

  • 2024-07-02
  • PloS one 19(7)
    • Pamella de Barros Motta
    • Marcela Leticia Leal Gonçalves
    • Juliana Maria Altavista Sagretti Gallo
    • Ana Paula Taboada Sobral
    • Lara Jansiski Motta
    • Marcia Pinto Alves Mayer
    • Dione Kawamoto
    • David Casimiro de Andrade
    • Elaine Marcílio Santos
    • Kristianne Porta Santos Fernandes
    • Raquel Agnelli Mesquita-Ferrari
    • Alessandro Melo Deana
    • Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini Horliana
    • Sandra Kalil Bussadori

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size
n = 13
Population
52 participants, aged from 18 to 25 years, exhaling sulfhydride (H2S) ≥ 112 ppb
Methods
Participants allocated into 4 groups: tongue scraper; treated once with aPDT; probiotic capsule containing Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 (6.7 x 108 CFU) and xylitol (280mg), 3 times a day after meals, for 14 days; treated once with aPDT and with the probiotic capsule for 14 days. Halimetry with gas chromatography and microbiological samples collected before and after aPDT, and after 7, 14, and 30 days.
Duration
14 days

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and the use of probiotics on the treatment of halitosis.

Methods

Fifty-two participants, aged from 18 to 25 years, exhaling sulfhydride (H2S) ≥ 112 ppb were selected. They were allocated into 4 groups (n = 13): Group 1: tongue scraper; Group 2: treated once with aPDT; Group 3: probiotic capsule containing Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 (6.7 x 108 CFU) and xylitol (280mg), 3 times a day after meals, for 14 days; Group 4: treated once with aPDT and with the probiotic capsule for 14 days. Halimetry with gas chromatography (clinical evaluation) and microbiological samples were collected from the dorsum of the tongue before and after aPDT, as well as after 7, 14, and 30 days. The clinical data failed to follow a normal distribution; therefore, comparisons were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test (independent measures) and Friedman ANOVA (dependent measures) followed by appropriate posthoc tests, when necessary. For the microbiological data, seeing as the data failed to follow a normal distribution, the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was performed with Dunn's post-test. The significance level was α = 0.05.

Results

Clinical results (halimetry) showed an immediate significant reduction in halitosis with aPDT (p = 0.0008) and/or tongue scraper (p = 0.0006). Probiotics showed no difference in relation to the initial levels (p = 0.7530). No significant differences were found in the control appointments. The amount of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola were not altered throughout the analysis (p = 0.1616, p = 0.2829 and p = 0.2882, respectively).

Conclusion

There was an immediate clinical reduction of halitosis with aPDT and tongue scraping, but there was no reduction in the number of bacteria throughout the study, or differences in the control times, both in the clinical and microbiological results. New clinical trials are necessary to better assess the tested therapies.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials NCT03996044.

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