Japanese researchers have discovered that gummy candies fortified with beneficial bacteria may help improve gum health and reduce bleeding, in a move that could offer a new way to support oral health alongside traditional care methods.
Although sugary sweets are usually associated with increased dental problems, a new formula tested in a recent study showed promising results, after it contained non-living bacteria known as "postbiotics," which could have a beneficial effect on the oral environment.
The study was conducted by a research team from the Tokyo Institute of Science in Japan, with the aim of finding out if this candy could be used as an aid to prevent gum diseases, such as periodontitis, in addition to brushing teeth and using dental floss.
The study included 116 people who were followed for six weeks. Approximately half of the participants consumed a bacteria-enriched gummy candy twice a day, while the other half consumed a placebo candy that did not contain the active ingredient, without either group knowing which type of candy they were consuming.
The results showed that people who ate the bacteria-enriched candy experienced a decrease in gum bleeding and an improvement in some indicators related to oral health, especially those with mild gingivitis, a condition that causes swollen and bleeding gums and may develop into periodontitis.
Periodontist Takanori Iwata of the Tokyo Institute of Science said that testing the candy in everyday life conditions helped researchers understand how it could be used as a practical way to support gum health.
Researchers believe that an imbalance of bacteria in the mouth may be a contributing factor to the development and worsening of gum disease. Therefore, recent research is focusing on restoring balance to the oral microbial environment rather than solely on eliminating bacteria.
In this study, the researchers used a type of non-living bacteria (“postbiotic”), specifically “Lactobacillus pentosus”, instead of the live bacteria usually used in probiotic products.
The team explained that "postbiotic" is more stable compared to live bacteria, which makes it easier to add to food products such as gummy candies, and its effect may be related to its ability to modify the oral environment or reduce inflammation.
The researchers pointed out that the way the candy is eaten may also be a contributing factor, as chewing increases the flow of saliva and allows the active ingredients to come into contact with the oral tissues for a longer period.
Measurements showed a decrease in the percentage of bleeding gums upon examination among participants who consumed the bacteria-enriched candy, with the percentage decreasing from 17.6% to 12.3% on average during the study period, while in the placebo group it decreased from 18.9% to 16.6%.
Despite these results, the researchers pointed out that the difference between the two groups was not large, which means that more studies are needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of this type of candy.
One of the study's strengths is that participants did not receive additional instructions regarding teeth cleaning, suggesting that this type of product may be usable within people's daily routines.
The researchers plan to later study how these non-living bacteria affect gum bleeding, and whether the benefits persist when used for longer periods.
The study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, concluded that the use of non-living bacteria may provide an additional option to help manage gingivitis in people most susceptible to gum disease.
