ABSTRACT
Oral diseases affect the most basic human needs: the ability to eat, drink, swallow, maintain proper nutrition, smile and communicate. In keeping with the World Health Organization (WHO) oral health goals for 2020 which includes minimization of diseases of oral and craniofacial origin on health and psychological development and minimization of the impact of oral and craniofacial manifestations of systemic diseases on individuals and society, research in the oral health domain is focusing on health systems for reorientation of oral health services. This includes prevention and health promotion by studying the oral and general health inter-relationships. Consequently, focus has been drawn towards studying the micro-flora present in the oral cavity and the benefi ts thereof, leading to development of systems to isolate and utilize these microorganisms to achieve the targeted benefi ts in individuals. This has brought attention to the vast domain of oral microbiology and active pursuit of probiotic solutions targeted at oral health needs.
