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Probiotic oral and dental care

Healthy oral flora promotes general health.

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Healthy oral flora

Healthy oral flora cannot be taken for granted. To a certain extent it is genetically predetermined, but mainly it follows the living conditions, diet and any medication according to the principle: "Everything is everywhere but the environment chooses". Recently, there has been growing evidence that alcohol-based mouthwashes could promote the growth of harmful bacteria that are associated with the development of oral cavity cancer.

Other scientists warn against regular mouthwashes with chlorhexidine ingredients and point to their potential effect of increasing blood pressure.
Bad breath is also associated with dysbiotic oral flora.

expert tip
A healthy oral flora is as individual as a fingerprint and is of great importance not only for dental and oral health but apparently also for general health.

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"Good" bacteria are part of our health

We humans and the bacteria that colonise us have developed together in an evolutionary and symbiotic way. Intestinal flora, skin flora and oral flora protect us from diseases by preventing pathogens from finding niches in which to grow. At the same time, we are dependent on the microbiome to produce vital metabolic products such as vitamin K or nitrite and protect us from diseases such as high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes and vascular diseases through to dementia.

Expert tip
Antimicrobial prevention concepts, such as antibacterial oral hygiene products or mouthwashes, influence undesirable pathogens as well as necessary health-promoting germs.
This can neither regulate nor stabilise a healthy microbiome. Modern prophylaxis completely dispenses with the regular use of alcohol- or chlorhexidine-based or other antimicrobial preparations.

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"Probiotic"

For your health.
Probiotic means that such products and foods contain living microorganisms which - when consumed regularly in sufficient quantities - have a health-promoting effect. Yoghurt and kefir are widely used in everyday life and probiotic food supplements for the gut are very well known. The importance of oral probiotics and health-promoting lactic acid and bifido bacteria for oral, dental and general health has only recently been discovered. Since then, many scientific studies have emphasised the importance of oral probiotic prevention and treatment concepts.

Expert tip
Regular use of high-quality oral probiotics, such as ApaCare OraLactin as a powder or chewable pastilles, can restore the balance of healthy oral flora, improve the barrier properties of the body and the gums and support the body's natural defences.

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Probiotics

Naturally regulate, holistically stabilise.
The 700 to 800 natural bacterial species that colonise the oral cavity (microbiome) compete for nutrients and growth niches and influence each other through natural messenger substances. Probiotic bacterial cultures have a regulating effect on the oral microbiota through their positive signalling molecules by supporting the health-promoting ones and regulating the pathogenic ones. A healthy oral flora can develop and is stabilised, and the intestinal flora is also strengthened. This is supported by a low-sugar, high-fibre diet.

Expert tip
Probiotics are best used as a 30-day course (once a day, regularly). Also in conjunction with dental treatment. Such cures can be repeated several times a year. Probiotics have no side effects and are also suitable for long-term use. (Patients who are severely immunocompromised should temporarily suspend treatment)

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Prebiotics.
Postbiotics.

Probiotic effect for everyday life.
Bacteria-specific nutrients and natural dietary fibres (prebiotics), such as gum arabic or amino acids like L-arginine, promote the growth and metabolic activity of health-promoting bacteria without any negative interaction with the body's cells. So-called postbiotics are bacteria-characteristic (natural) information carriers (Lactobacillus ferments), which are obtained from inactivated probiotic lactic acid bacteria and, unlike living bacteria, can also be stabilised in aqueous oral hygiene products.
Both together are said to have a probiotic effect, as the oral flora develops positively and in a health-correlated manner with regular use.

Expert tip
Prebiotics and postbiotics can lead to significant probiotic effects in liquid oral hygiene products such as toothpaste or mouthwash. This not only promotes oral and dental health or fresh breath, but can have important effects on general health, for example by supporting blood pressure regulation.

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Build up oral flora.

This is the best way to do it.
All age groups from the age of 6 can benefit from OraLactin.

OraLactin Probiotics (sachets or chewable pastilles) are particularly recommended before, during or after dental treatment or prophylaxis. Regularly in cases of high susceptibility to tooth decay, inflammation of the gums or implants, periodontitis, generally bad teeth, bad breath or sensitive mucous membranes. Senior citizens can also use probiotics to better prevent oral diseases. If you want to benefit automatically every day, it is best to use a ApaCare OraLactin toothpaste or mouthwash with a probiotic effect: teeth, gums and oral mucosa are optimally protected, remineralised and regenerated. The oral flora is stabilised in a balanced way and bacteria that promote general health and lower blood pressure are particularly supported.

Expert tip
Dental care products with OraLactin and probiotic effects expand dental and medical prophylaxis to include general medical prevention aspects and support the stabilisation of healthy oral flora.

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What side effects should I be aware of?

As part of the digestive tract, the oral cavity is naturally colonised by a very large number of bacteria. Postbiotics, prebiotics or probiotics generally do not cause any side effects. There is also no problem of overdosing, as the unneeded microbes are dissolved and excreted

. As a purely precautionary measure, patients with a severely weakened immune system (transplant patients, during chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or acute autoimmune diseases) should refrain from using live bacteria and therefore probiotic preparations. However, prebiotic (natural) nutrients or postbiotic information carriers are completely independent of this and do not have this restriction on use.

Expert tip
Modern science speaks all round in favour of probiotic-supplemented oral prophylaxis. By the way: probiotic live cultures, as well as prebiotics and postbiotics, are neutral in flavour.

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Not all probiotics are the same:

from microbe to probiotic.
In order for one or more microorganisms to be used as a probiotic or as a basis for the production of postbiotic signalling substances, a variety of properties must be investigated.

First, the exact strains and any interactions between them are determined and defined. Each probiotic formulation behaves differently. In addition to ensuring the ability to multiply and the metabolic activity over the shelf life of the corresponding formulation, the interaction with the oral bacteria, the gastrointestinal passage, non-invasive, non-carcinogenic, non-pathogenic properties must be ensured and the promotion of healthy oral flora must be proven.

Probiotics should not be "mixed together" by yourself Caution should also be exercised when combining different probiotic preparations.

expert tip
Every OraLactin cure can be ideally supported by pre- and postbiotic oral hygiene products.

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Probiotics and antibiotics


Antibiotics work by inhibiting the growth of certain bacteria or killing them. These are necessary for serious bacterial infections that the body's immune system cannot fight itself and where there is a risk of spreading or where the risk of complications is high. Prophylactic applications are also useful, e.g. to protect against endocarditis, during surgical procedures in immunocompromised patients or e.g. jawbone necrosis.

Oral probiotics can already be used with antibiotic therapy. To maximise the effectiveness of probiotics, an interval of 2-3 hours should be observed between taking antibiotics and using probiotics. This minimises the likelihood that the antibiotics will also kill off beneficial bacteria.

It is also advisable to continue using oral probiotics for at least 2 weeks after the end of antibiotic treatment in order to rebalance the oral (and intestinal) microbiome and support the growth of natural, health-promoting bacteria.

Pre- and postbiotic oral hygiene products such as OraLactin toothpaste and mouthwash can accompany antibiotic treatment continuously without interaction.

Expert tip
Probiotics can be a useful accompaniment to antibiotic therapy.

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The importance of nutrition and hydration

Plant foods containing nitrates, such as beetroot, leafy vegetables, spinach and especially fruits with a high content of phytochemicals or enzymes (blueberries, papaya, mangosteen, etc.) enhance the probiotic effects and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Drinking plenty of water helps to keep the digestive system healthy and the mucous membranes well moisturised.

Minimise sugary foods and drinks (replace with water) and watch out for hidden sugars.

Expert tip
Eat a portion of blueberries or enjoy a spinach smoothie more often.