Studies show that probiotics, or good bacteria, can help relieve your digestive troubles… constipation… bloating… heartburn… diarrhea… and food allergies. And now, a new study shows that the Lactobacillus plantarum 299 probiotic helps fight infections and acts as an antiseptic!

Researchers in Sweden studied 50 critically ill hospital patients who currently use ventilated devices to help them breathe. The equipment is open to exposure from airborne germs as the patients inhale and exhale.

After swabbing half the patients’ mouths with oral antiseptic and the other half with oral probiotics, researchers concluded that BOTH worked in preventing pneumonia.

“Based on the results of this pilot study, we conclude that the probiotic bacterium constitutes a feasible and safe agent for oral care,” the researchers said in their report, published in the journal Critical Care.