Microorganisms that bring health benefits to humans are called probiotics [1]. Some strains
of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that are recognized as probiotics are very useful for producing
fermented foods such as yogurt. LAB themselves and foods fermented using them are also
known to display anti-allergy properties and intestinal homeostasis [1–4] as health benefits
to humans. Furthermore, certain LAB strains inhibit the growth of specific pathogenic oral
bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus (S.) mutans [5–7]. However …

抄録 Previous studies have demonstrated that the presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB),
especially those classified into the genus Lactobacillus, is associated with the progression of
dental caries in preschool children. Nevertheless, the kinds of species of LAB and the
characteristics that are important for dental caries have been unclear. The aims of this study
were:(1) to investigate the distribution of oral LAB among Japanese preschool children with
various prevalence levels of caries; and (2) to reveal the characteristics of these isolated …