Prebiotic oral care compositions containing carboxylic acids

An oral care composition comprising monomethyl succinate present in the composition in a concentration of from 0.01 weight % to 10 weight %, based on the weight of the oral composition;

• and
• wherein the composition is effective for:
• (a) selectively promoting, in an oral cavity:
• growth, metabolic activity or colonization of S. mitis bacteria that have beneficial effects on oral health, relative to growth, metabolic activity or colonization of pathogenic oral bacteria;
• (b) selectively promoting, in an oral cavity, biofilm formation by S. mitis bacteria that have beneficial effects on oral health comprising S. mitis, relative to biofilm formation by pathogenic oral bacteria;
• or
• (c) maintaining and/or re-establishing a healthy oral microbiota comprising S. mitis;
• wherein the composition further comprises at least one species of bacteria that has beneficial effects on oral health.