The impact of prebiotics and probiotics on the oral microbiome of individuals with periodontal disease: a scoping review.

Background: The influence of prebiotics and probiotics on oral microbiome composition, addressing dysbiosis, and aiding in the regulation of the immune-inflammatory response has recently been discussed. The objective of this scoping review is to explore current literature that examines the use of prebiotics and probiotics as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of periodontal disease with the intent to identify gaps in the literature to inform future research and dental hygiene practice.

Methods: This review was conducted from December 2022 to August 2023 using the Arksey and O'Malley approach and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Three databases were searched using combinations of keywords. Only peer-reviewed human/in vitro studies published in the last 10 years were included.

Results: The search retrieved 204 articles. Duplicates were removed, titles and abstracts screened, and the full text of 80 articles examined, resulting in the inclusion of 19 articles.

Discussion and conclusion: Most of the included literature indicated that probiotics have a positive impact on periodontal health as evidenced by changes in periodontal disease parameters. Future research should further examine various modes of administration and dosages. The effects of specific prebiotic and probiotic strains on specific pathogenic bacteria in conjunction with non-surgical periodontal therapy should also be further explored.