Gargle to remove bad bacteria from type 2 diabetes

by News Source February 21, 2024

written by News Source February 21, 2024 0 comments Donate

Researchers at Osaka University have found that gargling with an antiseptic mouthwash may reduce “bad” bacteria in the mouths of people with type 2 diabetes and improve blood sugar control.

In addition to bad breath, there is growing evidence that ongoing oral inflammation, such as periodontal disease, is associated with serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes. Now, researchers at Osaka University have identified a simple way to combat the bacteria that can cause such problems.

In a study published this month in Scientific Reports, researchers reported that when people with type 2 diabetes gargled with antiseptic mouthwash, the number of bacteria associated with periodontitis decreased. Interestingly, some patients with reduced bacteria had much better blood sugar control, suggesting potential clinical applications in the future.

“There are three types of highly virulent bacteria that are associated with periodontitis, a disease of the tissues surrounding the teeth,” explains Saaya Matayoshi, lead author of the study. “Can we reduce three species of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema herbium denticola, and Tannerella herbica in patients with type 2 diabetes using a mouthwash containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate? I decided to check it out.”

To do this, the researchers collected saliva and blood samples from 173 patients monthly or bimonthly over a one-year period. Researchers used saliva to check for the presence of three types of bacteria, and blood samples to measure her HbA1c levels as a marker of blood sugar control. Importantly, for the first six months of the study, patients gargled with water, but for the second six months they gargled with antiseptic mouthwash. In this way, the research team was able to see whether gargling itself was effective at reducing bacteria, or whether mouthwash was more effective.

“We were not surprised to see that gargling with water had no effect on bacterial species or HbA1c levels,” explains Kazuhiko Nakano, senior author of the study. “But when patients switched to mouthwash, provided they gargled at least twice a day, we saw an overall reduction in bacterial species.”

The researchers also found that while there was no overall change in HbA1c levels when patients gargled with antiseptic mouthwash, there appeared to be wide variation in individual responses. For example, when the group was divided into younger and older patients, the younger patients had significantly fewer bacterial species and significantly better blood sugar control with mouthwash compared to water.

Given that poor oral hygiene is associated with serious diseases, simple ways to improve oral hygiene have important implications. If researchers can identify patients who are more likely to respond well to antiseptic mouthwashes, this easy-to-use treatment could help patients with periodontitis-related diseases such as diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory tract infections. People’s lives can be improved.

Figure 1

Mechanism of improvement of type 2 diabetes by mouthwash

Credit: Saaya Matayoshi

Figure 2

A case study in which gargling with a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine had a remarkable effect on reducing malignant periodontal disease bacteria and improving hyperglycemic conditions.

Credit: Saaya Matayoshi

The paper “Effect of mouthwash on periodontal pathogens and blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes” was published in DOI’s Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53213-x

/Open to the public. This material from the original organization/author may be of a contemporary nature and has been edited for clarity, style, and length. Mirage.News does not take any institutional stance or position, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the authors. Read the full text here.

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