DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i02.066

Pages: 804-811

Probiotics provide us an alternative way to combat diseases and has been introduced for prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases. This review was initiated to explore whether the use of probiotics can influence the periodontal microbiota and periodontal health. The role of probiotics on periodontal disease was reviewed to analyse the clinical effects of oral probiotics on periodontal disease. The term ‘probiotic’ is a relatively new word and is currently used to name bacteria with beneficial effects for humans and animals. As an antonym of the term ‘antibiotics’, it was introduced by Lilly & Stillwell as ‘‘Substances produced by micro-organisms which promote the growth of other microorganisms’.