Compositions And Methods For The Maintenance Of Oral Health

Abstract

The invention provides a probiotic formulation that includes an LDH-deficient mutans streptococcus strain and an attenuated S. oralis strain. S. uberis strains can be included in the probiotic formulation. Such a probiotic formulation is suitable for persistently or permanently colonizing the oral cavity with beneficial bacteria,

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for persistently or permanently colonizing an oral cavity of a subject, comprising:
 an effective amount of a probiotic formulation a bacterial formulation comprising an attenuated Strep oralis strain and a biologically pure  mutans streptococci  strain selected from the group consisting of  Streptococcus rattus, Streptococcus cricetus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus downeii, Streptococcus macacae , and  Streptococcus ferus ; wherein said  mutans streptococcus  strains are genetically modified strains that are lactate dehydrogenase-deficient; and   wherein the effective amount is sufficient to provide persistent or permanent colonization of the oral cavity upon consumption of the probiotic formulation.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated  Strep oralis  strain is streptomycin resistant. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the probiotic formulation comprises a biologically pure  Streptococcus uberis  strain. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the probiotic formulation is provided as a food formulation. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the food formulation is provided in a form selected from the group consisting of a powdered food supplement, a paste, a gel, a solid food, a packaged food, a wafer, a lozenge, and a chewing gum. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the food formulation comprises a nutritional component selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, a mineral, an amino acid, a carbohydrate, a lipid, and a dietary supplement. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the food formulation comprises a flavoring. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the food formulation comprises a food-quality coloring agent. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the food formulation comprises a thickening agent. 
     
     
         10 . method of  claim 7 , wherein the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, guar gum, carbopol, and xanthan gum.