Clinical reduction of S. mutans in pre-school children using a novel liquorice root extract lollipop: a pilot study

• Published in: European archives of paediatric dentistry Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 274 - 278
• Main Authors: Peters, M. C., Tallman, J. A., Braun, T. M., Jacobson, J. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-12-2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Bacterial Load; Candy; Child, Preschool; Children; Dental Caries Susceptibility; Dentistry; Early Intervention (Education); Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glycyrrhiza; Humans; Liquorice; Male; Medicine; Monoclonal antibodies; Phytotherapy; Pilot Projects; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Roots; Preschool children; Pterocarpans - therapeutic use; Reduction; Risk levels; Saliva - microbiology; Streptococcus mutans - drug effects; Streptococcus mutans - isolation & purification; dental caries; antibacterial agent; early childhood caries; Streptococcus mutans
• ISSN: 1818-6300; 1996-9805
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03262762

AIM:
To determine the clinical effect of a simple herbal caries-prevention protocol aimed at reduction of Streptococcus mutans (SM) in young children in a pre-school setting.
STUDY DESIGN
: Proof-of-principle pilot study.
METHODS
: To prove the concept this pilot study delivered a clinical intervention using sugar-free lollipops containing liquorice root extract. Regimen: Supervised herbal lollipops, twice daily for 3 weeks. Species-specific monoclonal antibody testing of saliva provided SM counts. Children were grouped in high, medium and low caries-risk using baseline SM-levels as risk-indicator. Bacterial numbers at baseline, during intervention, and for 9 weeks post-intervention were compared.
STATISTICS
: SM levels were analysed using GEE modelling.
RESULTS
: High-risk children showed the steepest early decrease in mean log-SM (P<. 001). At end of a follow-up period, the log-SM decrease moved the high-risk group down to moderate-risk level. High-risk children showed a decrease in fitted mean SM% not seen in other groups (P<. 001). The decrease reached a nadir around 22-days post-intervention. Twice-daily use of herbal lollipop significantly reduced both number and relative percent of SM in high-risk children. SM numbers were reduced for 22 days after the last lollipop, stabilized and then began to rebound.
CONCLUSION:
A potential for simple effective caries-prevention for high-risk children has been demonstrated. Encouraging results warrant randomised clinical trials (RCT) of liquorice root in herbal lollipops or alternative modes of delivery.