<![CDATA[Fixed orthodontic appliances facilitate plaque retention and may disturb the oral microbial ecosystem, thereby increasing susceptibility to periodontal inflammation. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone periodontal pathogen, whereas Lactobacillus reuteri has been proposed as an adjunctive probiotic strategy. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of L. reuteri probiotic lozenges on salivary P. gingivalis counts in fixed orthodontic appliance users. Thirty-eight dental students aged 18–25 years were analyzed (19 per group). The probiotic group consumed one L. reuteri lozenge nightly for 14 days, while the control group received standardized oral-hygiene education. Unstimulated saliva was collected at baseline and after the intervention and quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Median (IQR) P. gingivalis counts decreased from 10,503,530 (34,139,942) to 7,855,643 (15,907,250) copies/mL in the control group and from 10,329,601 (20,433,321) to 8,144,486 (11,820,528) copies/mL in the probiotic group. The between-group difference in change was not significant (Mann–Whitney U, Z = −0.131; p = 0.895; r = 0.02), although significant within-group reductions occurred in both the probiotic (p = 0.027) and control (p = 0.033) groups. A 14-day course of L. reuteri lozenges did not provide an additional reduction in salivary P. gingivalis beyond that observed with oral-hygiene education alone.]]>
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