Toothpaste with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) epsilon-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) and funme peptide (FP) may reduce plaque, halitosis, and gingival bleeding, according to a study published recently in the International Dental Journal.
Additionally, toothpaste with ε-PL and FP may effectively improve oral microbiota and treat oral diseases, the authors wrote.
"The formulation of toothpaste with ε-PL and FP recalibrated the oral microbiome's diversity and abundance, and mitigated common oral health issues such as plaque, halitosis, and gingivitis while maintaining well safety," wrote the authors, led by Xu Liu of Shandong University in China (Int Dent J, January 13, 2025).
AMPs like ε-PL and FP may offer broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, biodegradability, and minimal resistance development. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of a toothpaste containing ε-PL and FP on oral microbiota modulation, plaque reduction, and oral health improvement, laying the groundwork for AMP-based oral care products, they wrote.
The study began with an analysis of oral microbiota variations before and after using AMP toothpaste, involving 11 healthy individuals and 31 with gingivitis. Samples from gingival crevicular fluid, plaque, and saliva were collected before and after a two-week AMP toothpaste regimen, according to the study.
A subsequent clinical trial was conducted, enrolling 80 adults randomly assigned to a test group or control group. The test group used toothpaste containing 0.03% ε-PL and 0.001% FP while the control group used an inactive formula. The trial evaluated the AMP toothpaste's efficacy by measuring the dental plaque index (PLI), volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), modified bleeding index (mBI), and bleeding on probing rate (BOP).
The use of AMP toothpaste increased the relative abundance of commensal oral microbes and reduced pathogenic bacteria in gingivitis patients to normal levels. In the clinical trial, PLI scores decreased by 44.33% in the test group, they wrote.
The test group also showed a greater reduction in VSC levels. Additionally, the test group demonstrated significant reductions in mBI and BOP by 39.09% and 24.59%, respectively, compared to the control group's reductions of 4.63% and -0.97% (p < .05).
However, the study had limitations. There was a lack of research on the half-life and activity retention of AMP, which future studies will need to address, they wrote.
"This study demonstrated that the AMP toothpaste containing ε-PL and FP modulated the composition of oral microbiome towards a more balanced state, thereby promoting the stability of the oral microecosystem, also it exhibited significant efficacy in reducing plaque and halitosis, alleviating gingival bleeding, and yielded superior long-term effects with continued usage," Liu and colleagues concluded.
