Effects of oral administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 on the treatment of plaque-induced generalized gingivitis

Objectives: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluated the adjuvant effects of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 on the treatment of plaque-induced generalized gingivitis. Materials and methods: Sixty patients were submitted to professional supragingival scaling and prophylaxis. They were randomly assigned to test (probiotic lozenges containing B. lactis HN019, n = 30) or control (placebo lozenges, n = 30) groups. Lozenges were consumed twice a day for 8 weeks. Bleeding on probing (BoP), Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were evaluated at baseline and after 2 and 8 weeks. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected at baseline and at 8 weeks for analysis of the inflammatory mediators IL-1β, IL-1α, IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1β. Data were statistically analyzed (p < 0.05). Results: After 8 weeks, both groups showed reduction in the percentage of PI, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.7423). The test group presented a lower percentage of BoP and a higher percentage of sites with GI ≤ 1 when compared with the control group at the end of the study (p < 0.0001). At 8 weeks, the test group had a greater number of patients without generalized gingivitis than the control group (20 and 11 patients, respectively; p < 0.05). The test group presented significantly lower levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, and MCP-1 in GCF than the control group at the end of the study (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The adjunct use of B. lactis HN019 promotes additional clinical and immunological benefits in the treatment of generalized gingivitis. Clinical relevance: B. lactis HN019 can be an efficient and side-effect-free adjunct strategy in the treatment of generalized gingivitis.