Effect of nitrate supplements on the oral microbiome and saliva
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of nitrate supplement on the oral microbiome, salivary pellicle proteins and vascular function of individuals with dental erosion
IRAS ID
334090
Contact name
Ant Shepherd
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Of Portsmouth
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
334090, IRAS Project ID
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
Dental erosion (DE) is when teeth get damaged by acids from food, drinks, and stomach acid. This can make teeth look bad, work poorly, and hurt. DE is pretty common, affecting 20% to 45% of people with permanent teeth worldwide. Human mouth has ways to protect against DE. For example, after brushing teeth, a thin layer called acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) forms on teeth which is made of salivary (spit) proteins that can shield teeth from acid harm. This protection also extends to the soft parts inside mouth such internal cheek and tongue surfaces (SP). These proteins can also attract organisms such bacteria, which can build up on teeth and other oral surfaces.
People with DE (PwDE) display different salivary protein and bacteria compositions compared to healthy individuals. Interestingly, nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB) have been linked to oral and overall health benefits. NRB is a type of oral bacteria that convert nitrate (NO3-) to nitric oxide (NO), enhancing cardiovascular health by promoting vasodilation, improving blood flow, and reducing blood pressure.
Having more foods with nitrate, like leafy greens, and drinks like beetroot juice seems to be good for heart and boost the work of NRB. Additionally, this can even reduce bad bacteria that cause gum problems and help mouth from becoming too acidic by grabbing extra acid and making substances like ammonium, which can balance the acidity which may also protect against DE. To date, no study has examined the effect of dietary nitrate on salivary proteins in whole mouth saliva (WMs), AEP and tongue SP in healthy controls and PwDE. This study is a part of a PhD project aims to explore the effect of nitrate supplement on oral microbiome in WMS, AEP and SP and its impact on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in PwDE and healthy controls.REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SC/0349
Date of REC Opinion
1 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion