The Development of Anti-gingivitis Probiotics Derived From the Human Oral Microbiome

The human oral cavity contains over 700 different bacterial species. In healthy people, these bacteria are living in harmony and not likely to cause diseases. However, sometimes this bacterial balance is disturbed as the oral pathogenic bacteria start to overgrow causing many oral implications such as halitosis, sore throat, dental caries and gingivitis. A promising solution to tackle this microbial population destabilization is the use of beneficial microbes called probiotics. Previous investigations showed that the oral commensal Streptococcus salivarius is an excellent candidate for the development of new probiotic treatments. This bacterium is human friendly and is one of the first microorganisms to colonise the babies few hours after birth. S. salivarius can produce unique molecules which can be used as molecular missiles to attack pathogenic bacteria and restore the microbial balance to the oral cavity.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Glogauer;Bernhard Ganss

Student:

Abdelahhad Barbour

Partner:

Ostia Sciences

Discipline:

Dentistry

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Toronto