Probiotics and oral care: the healthcare benefits

The Socio-Economic Assessment (SEA) conducted by IPA Europe identifies a significant cost-saving opportunity across seven distinct healthcare domains, with oral health emerging as a driver for economic efficiency.
By providing a rigorous, evidence-based socio-economic assessment, the study demonstrates how the growing interest in probiotics for oral health may contribute to reducing the financial burden on European healthcare systems.

By articulating the health and economic implications of current regulatory barriers, and the potential value of reform, this analysis aims to inform EU policymakers and stakeholders on the importance of addressing regulatory inconsistencies to support public health, innovation, and competitiveness within the European probiotic sector. Crucially, the evidence reveals that the true value of probiotics may extend beyond oral health support and contribute to broader economic benefits for healthcare systems.

The prevalence of oral disease

According to WHO, oral disorders were the most prevalent health condition in the EU, as of 2019. It reported that half of all adults in Europe suffered from at least one major oral health issue.

Prevalence rates vary across member states, reaching up to 60.6% in Croatia and 58.6% in Slovenia, while Ireland and Spain report the lowest rates at approximately 44%.

As a consequence, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF, 2024) estimated treatment costs of dental issues in 2019 ranged between €190 billion and €200 billion annually. Beyond the healthcare system, poor oral health impacts businesses and the economy by reducing employability, increasing workplace absenteeism, and driving productivity losses.

Scientific research and emerging perspectives in oral care

For the medical and dental communities, probiotics are increasingly being explored for their role in supporting oral microbiota balance and oral health.

Systematic reviews demonstrate that probiotics effectively inhibit harmful plaque formation and reduce levels of dangerous pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, a key driver of periodontal disease, Streptococcus mutans, responsible for dental caries, and the fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

When evaluated alongside standard oral care practices like scaling and root planing (SRP), probiotics have shown promising observations across several oral health parameters, including probing depth, gingival index, and bleeding on probing. Probiotics also show potential applications in different oral health contexts, from oral candidiasis to pharyngotonsillitis.

The economic perspective on oral health support

For businesses and healthcare systems, the financial rationale for integrating probiotics is undeniable. The potential economic value of probiotics is be associated with supporting long-term oral health, reducing the need for expensive dental procedures and medications.

Furthermore, by supporting oral health management, we can potentially lower the incidence of costly systemic complications. For example, in the United States the improvement of oral hygiene in diabetic and cardiac patients has been shown to yield significant healthcare savings, equivalent to approximately €855–€2,700 per diabetic patient and €520–€640 per cardiac patient annually.

Thus, the macroeconomic savings are substantial. The report estimates that even a conservative 1% improvement in oral health across the EU could result in annual savings of €1.4 -1.9 billion. Beyond direct healthcare savings, businesses stand to benefit from reduced absenteeism and greater workforce participation.

A visual summary of the key insights