Role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus in Oral Health of Disabled Individuals

Purpose of Review In recent years, research regarding the effects and mechanism of action of probiotics has been actively conducted. Lactobacillus rhamnosus L8020 is a bacterial strain often detected in healthy individuals with no dental caries or periodontal disease, and its effects have been reported in recent years. The purpose of this review is to summarize findings related to the discovery, effects, and mechanism of action of L. rhamnosus L8020, as well as examine the possibility of its use for maintaining the oral health of individuals with disabilities. Recent Findings Recent findings have confirmed that L. rhamnosus L8020 has inhibitory effects on periodontal pathogens in vivo and also improves periodontal disease conditions in the oral cavity of individuals with an intellectual disability. Regarding the bacterial mechanism, an in vivo investigation revealed that an L. rhamnosus L8020 oral isolate may help to maintain mucosal homeostasis by induction of transient epithelial cell activation. Furthermore, the probiotic potential of the bacterial strain was investigated by means of transcriptional profiling analyses using mouse gingival epithelial-like GE1 cells and regulation of immunomodulatory gene expression was noted; thus, induction of transient epithelial cell activation may also aid in maintenance for patients with mucosal homeostasis. Other research findings demonstrated that oral administration of L. rhamnosus L8020 resulted in disappearance of pseudomembranous regions in Candida albicans -infected mice. Summary Evidence has been presented suggesting that continuous intake of L. rhamnosus L8020 has inhibitory effects on bacteria that lead to caries and periodontal disease, as well as candidiasis. Furthermore, reduced symptoms related to periodontal disease in intellectually disabled individuals were found after 90 days of continuous intake. In conclusion, L. rhamnosus L8020 may be a useful probiotic organism when included in products that are ingested daily.