Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Oral Effects of Fermented Lingonberry Juice-A One-Year Prospective Human Intervention Study

Pirjo Pärnänen; Sari Lomu; Ismo T Räisänen; Taina Tervahartiala; Timo Sorsa

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1759619

Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Oral Effects of Fermented Lingonberry Juice-A One-Year Prospective Human Intervention Study

Eur J Dent. 2023 Oct;17(4):1235-1240. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1759619. Epub 2023 Jan 4.

Authors

Pirjo Pärnänen¹, Sari Lomu¹, Ismo T Räisänen¹, Taina Tervahartiala¹, Timo Sorsa^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Head and Neck Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
² Division of Periodontology, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.

Abstract

Objectives: A 1-year prospective human intervention study was performed to examine the anticaries, anti-inflammatory, antiproteolytic, and antimicrobial effects of fermented lingonberry juice (FLJ), used as a mouthwash for a period of 6 months, followed by a 6-month washout period.

Materials and methods: Twenty-five adults were recruited from private dental clinics in Helsinki and Joensuu (Finland). Standard oral examinations and sample gatherings were performed at base level, 6 months, and 1 year for oral Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Candida, and Lactobacilli levels, and active matrix metalloprotease-8 (aMMP-8) levels, and for decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), decayed, missing filled surfaces (DMFS) and decayed surfaces (DS) indexes, and probing pocket depths (PPDs), bleeding on probing (BOP), and visible plaque index (VPI). FLJ was used by the participants once daily for 30 seconds for 6 months. FLJ contains 0.212% (w/v) polyphenols, 3% (w/ v) sugars, and contains no excipients. Ten milliliters of FLJ were equal to 1 dL of lingonberry juice.

Statistical analysis: Statistical analyses were performed with nonparametric Friedman's test and pairwise post-hoc analysis with Dunn-Bonferroni test, SPSS (version 27; IBM) and p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results: The levels of S. mutans and Candida counts, DS, BOP, and VPI decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during the FLJ period. Lactobacilli counts increased significantly, while there was also significant difference in aMMP-8 levels, DMFT, and DMFS between the three measurement points. PPDs were not affected.

Conclusions: The specially formulated FLJ may have a positive decreasing effect on S. mutans, and Candida counts as well as decrease low-grade inflammation and proteolytic burden in the oral mucosa and periodontal tissues. The beneficial effects to the oral cavity of FLJ mouthwash may be useful among patients with oral diseases, such as dental caries, periodontitis and candidosis.

The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).