To avoid side effects of conventional antibiotics and disinfectants used for prevention of oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, and oral candidiasis, application of probiotics has attracted attention recently. However, difficulties arise when applying those probiotics in the oral cavity, because exogenous probiotic bacteria do not colonize easily in the established oral microbiota. Even, if we are able to overcome the restriction of colonization by probiotic bacteria in the oral cavity, it comes with the risk of dental caries due to the potential acidic environment generated by probiotic bacteria. To solve these problems, “biogenics,” bacterial cell-free probiotics using only the effective substances metabolically produced by probiotic bacteria, is recommended for application in the oral cavity. The concept and frontline of biogenic research will be introduced and discussed.
Part of the book: Prebiotics and Probiotics