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Acetaldehyde production by major oral microbes
K Moritani1, T Takeshita1, Y Shibata1
1Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Kyushu University Faculty of Dental Science, Fukuoka, Japan.
Oral Diseases
|March 27, 2015
Summary
Oral bacteria produce acetaldehyde (ACH), an oral carcinogen. Sugar alcohols like xylitol and sorbitol can significantly inhibit ACH production by specific oral microbes, potentially regulating carcinogen levels.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Oral Health
- Carcinogenesis
Background:
- The oral microbiota contains bacteria capable of producing acetaldehyde (ACH).
- Acetaldehyde is recognized as an oral carcinogen.
- Understanding ACH production and its regulation is crucial for oral cancer prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify acetaldehyde (ACH) production by oral bacteria.
- To investigate the inhibitory effects of sugar alcohols on ACH production.
Main Methods:
- Salivary microbiota composition analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in 166 healthy subjects.
- Acetaldehyde (ACH) production measured via gas chromatography from ethanol or glucose.
- Inhibitory effects of sugars and sugar alcohols on ACH production were assayed.
Main Results:
- Forty-one prevalent bacterial species were identified.
- Neisseria species, Rothia mucilaginosa, Streptococcus mitis, and Prevotella histicola produced significant ACH.
- Xylitol and sorbitol inhibited ACH production by Neisseria mucosa by over 90%.
Conclusions:
- Oral microbiota of healthy individuals harbor bacteria that produce the oral carcinogen acetaldehyde (ACH).
- Sugar alcohol consumption may offer a regulatory mechanism for ACH production by oral microbes.
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