Oral prebiotics: an alternative for treatment and prevention of caries

Abstract

Caries is the most common oral disease worldwide; it is caused by excessive acid production, which is formed when bacteria that colonize the mouth digest the sugars present in diet. However, there are sugars that oral bacteria cannot digest that are known as prebiotics. Prebiotics are compounds that can be selectively used by host microorganisms, especially from the intestine, that confer a health benefit on them. They are found naturally in foods such as milk, honey, vegetables, greens, fruits, cereals, legumes, and nuts; they can also be obtained by chemical or enzymatic synthesis. New therapeutic and preventive approaches to caries have emerged, focused on prebiotics in oral hygiene products, foods, and supplements; however, its use is not a common practice in dentistry. It is important to know more about the benefit that prebiotics offer to the oral health of individuals, to promote their routine use as a complement to dental treatments performed.