Mito
Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2016
- Messages
- 2,554
Concluding remarks
The oral microbiome may have a great effect on the health of the gastrointestinal system. This has been reported in dental and medical journals of high impact. Both animal and human studies indicate that for example, P. gingivalis may influence the gut microbioata causing dysbiosis. This can happen despite the fact that the digestive tract hosts a much greater bacterial density than the oral cavity. Particularly long-term, orally ingested P. gingivalis, as seen in periodontitis, may affect intestinal dysbiosis. Also, the periodontopathogen A. actinomycetemcomitans may alter the gut microbiota but P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans are not the only periodontopathogens that can translocate to extraoral sites. Actually, a large variety of oral species can reach the intestinal microbiota through swallowing, regardless of the periodontal status, but only a subset of these bacteria seems to colonize the gut when the microbiota here is dysbiotic. Whether this colonization requires a dysbiotic oral microbiota is not clear, but cannot be excluded. Anyhow, severe diseases and genetic susceptibility of the host may promote ectopic colonization of oral bacteria. Good oral hygiene, periodontal therapy, prebiotics, and probiotics may help ameliorating oral bacteria-elicited gastrointestinal disorders. The intestinal link may also be another pathway for oral bacteria to cause systemic inflammatory diseases. However, this area of research is still in its infancy and requires further investigation before firm conclusions can be drawn.
Can oral bacteria affect the microbiome of the gut?
The oral microbiome may have a great effect on the health of the gastrointestinal system. This has been reported in dental and medical journals of high impact. Both animal and human studies indicate that for example, P. gingivalis may influence the gut microbioata causing dysbiosis. This can happen despite the fact that the digestive tract hosts a much greater bacterial density than the oral cavity. Particularly long-term, orally ingested P. gingivalis, as seen in periodontitis, may affect intestinal dysbiosis. Also, the periodontopathogen A. actinomycetemcomitans may alter the gut microbiota but P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans are not the only periodontopathogens that can translocate to extraoral sites. Actually, a large variety of oral species can reach the intestinal microbiota through swallowing, regardless of the periodontal status, but only a subset of these bacteria seems to colonize the gut when the microbiota here is dysbiotic. Whether this colonization requires a dysbiotic oral microbiota is not clear, but cannot be excluded. Anyhow, severe diseases and genetic susceptibility of the host may promote ectopic colonization of oral bacteria. Good oral hygiene, periodontal therapy, prebiotics, and probiotics may help ameliorating oral bacteria-elicited gastrointestinal disorders. The intestinal link may also be another pathway for oral bacteria to cause systemic inflammatory diseases. However, this area of research is still in its infancy and requires further investigation before firm conclusions can be drawn.
Can oral bacteria affect the microbiome of the gut?
