CONCEPT OF PROBIOTICS IN ENDODONTICS.

The main goal of endodontics is the prevention of apical periodontitis. This condition is the result of persistent pathogenic microorganismsremaining in the root canal systems of teeth, and the ability of these organisms to directly cause acute and chronic inflammation in the periapical tissues. Probiotics have been introduced in dentistry and oral medicine after years of successful use in gastro-intestinal disorders. Probiotics are dietary supplements which contain potentially beneficial bacteria or yeasts. They help in stimulating health promoting flora and also suppressing pathogens which cause and spread diseases. The concept of the use of probiotics has not yet been evaluated in addressing endodontic disease, but probiotics approach has shown promising results in the oral health with respect to control of chronic disease such as dental caries, periodontitis, and recurring problems like candidal infections and halitosis. This review explores the possibility of shifting the established paradigm of endodontic treatment, which has focused on eliminating all bacteria from the canal system, to elimination of specificbacteria thus altering bacterial ecology by using probiotics. Probiotics are still in “infancy” in terms of endodontic health benefits but surely have opened possibilities of treating disease on a nano – molecular mode. The aim of this review is to understand the mechanism of action of probiotic bacteria in the root canals and summarize observed effects of probiotics as well as their potential applications in the field of endodontics.