Probiotics for prevention: Dentistry professor receives CIHR grant for early childhood cavity research

U of T Dentistry professor Céline Lévesque has been awarded a $615,826 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) project grant to research the use of synbiotics for the prevention of early childhood caries.

Dental cavities affect up to 90 per cent of school-aged children globally, mainly due to frequent sugar consumption, which disrupts the natural balance of bacteria in the mouth. Beneficial bacteria such as probiotics have shown promise in promoting overall health. However, they haven’t worked well for preventing cavities because they don’t stay in the mouth long enough.

Lévesque and her project team, including the Faculty’s professor Siew-Ging Gong, have found a possible solution using synbiotics – a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics that work together in the body’s digestive tract.

They’ve discovered that Streptococcus salivarius, a friendly bacteria naturally found in the mouth and also present in breast milk can be used to make an effective symbiotic.

“We propose to develop a mixture comprising live probiotic bacteria and natural or synthetic food ingredients to modulate the microbiome to benefit the host,” says Lévesque, who is also working with professor Cynthia Yiu from the University of Hong Kong, and professor Prasanna Neelakantan from the University of Alberta.

Oral health is vital for basic functions like eating, speaking and breathing, yet oral diseases — especially dental caries — are the most widespread health conditions affecting humans

The project will utilize a high-throughput screening strategy to test a panel of substrates for their ability to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, studying the underlying probiotic mechanisms, and demonstrating health benefits using an in vivo rodent model of caries.

“Oral health is vital for basic functions like eating, speaking and breathing, yet oral diseases — especially dental caries — are the most widespread health conditions affecting humans,” says Lévesque.

Today, over 500 million children suffer from untreated dental caries, with a 2019 study showing nearly 43 per cent of the primary teeth of children worldwide are affected by cavities. This can cause daily pain that disrupts learning, speech development and chewing, which can ultimately lead to anxiety and depression.

“Children are particularly vulnerable — especially those in minority and economically disadvantaged communities,” says Lévesque. “In many countries, the unequal distribution of oral health professionals and facilities makes it even harder for these communities to access care. Recognizing this urgent need, the World Health Organization has called for a shift from treating oral diseases to preventing them.”

Lévesque says the team’s research responds directly to this call. Rather than relying solely on traditional dental treatments, which are often unavailable or unaffordable in underserved communities, this project aims to offer a preventive strategy through the development of a probiotic-based solution that can be easily delivered through everyday foods like milk or yogurt.

The team is partnering with international organizations such as Yoba for Life, which empowers communities in resource-poor regions to produce probiotic yogurt.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside such a passionate and talented group of researchers,” says Lévesque. “Our ultimate vision is advancing science to improve lives and bring healthier smiles worldwide – reducing the global burden of dental diseases, improving children’s quality of life, and supporting their growth, learning, and well-being, regardless of where they live.”

Photo: Céline Lévesque in Dentistry Lab (Jeff Comber)