Approximately 25% of the world population suffer from halitosis, making it a significant medico-social issue. It is one of the clinical signs of chronic inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx and is commonly caused by the persistence some bacteria in the oral cavity and in the oropharynx. These in turn facilitate formation of volatile sulphur compounds.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the probiotic strain Streptococcus salivarius K12 in the Bactoblis product in exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

45 patients diagnosed with a diagnosis of exacerbation of chronic pharyngitis were studied, gastroesophageal reflux disease was found in 33 patients. After a microbiological testing, all patients were prescribed probiotic strain Streptococcus salivarius K12 in the amount of 1×10⁹ colony-forming units (CFU) in the form of tablets for resorption as monotherapy for 14 days. The assessment of the therapy was based on physical examination data and on the subjective estimation of the clinical symptoms using a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) before the start of the treatment and on the 5th and on the 7th day of the therapy.

RESULTS

According to the microbiological analysis was revealed the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus viridans which was seen within 10³-10⁵ CFU. A significant clinical progress was achieved for all three analyzed signs of diseases (the severity of pain when swallowing, a feeling of perspiration (foreign body) in the pharynx, halitosis), within the statistical significance between the 1st and the 7th day and the 7th and the 14th day of the surveillance. The pain severity was decreased from 5.69±0.39 points to 2.69±0.34 points on the 7th day and to 0.08±0.05 point on the 14th day from the start of the therapy, itchy throat (foreign body sensation) was relived from 6.88±0.23 points to 3.54±0.29 points on the 7th day and to 0.69±0.12 point on the 14th day of the therapy. In addition, there was a decline in the severity of halitosis from 6.16±0.31 points to 2.47±0.44 points on the 7th day and to 0.68±0.29 point on the 14th day of the therapy.

CONCLUSION

Topical application of a drug containing a probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12, in case of chronic inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx of various etiologies, showed satisfactory effectiveness in the regression of the main symptoms of the exacerbation of the inflammatory process, expressed through pain in the throat when swallowing, halitosis and the foreign body sensation in the oropharynx.