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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Evaluation of oral microbiota in undernourished and eutrophic children using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization
M Testa1, S Erbiti2, A Delgado2
1Microbiology and Parasitology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Tucuman, Argentina.
Insights
Undernourished children exhibit distinct oral microbiota compositions compared to their eutrophic peers. However, gingival health indicators like bleeding on probing were not significantly different between the groups.
Area of Science:
- Oral microbiology
- Nutritional science
- Pediatric dentistry
Background:
- Nutritional status significantly impacts overall health, including oral health.
- Understanding the oral microbiota's role in health and disease is crucial, especially in vulnerable populations.
- Previous research suggests links between malnutrition and altered oral microbial profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nutritional status, gingival health, and oral microbiota composition in school children.
- To identify specific oral microorganisms associated with undernutrition in children from a low-income area.
Main Methods:
- Clinical examination of gingival health using DMF, dmf, Löe Silness Plaque Index, and bleeding on probing.
- Saliva samples collected from 45 children (6-14 years old), including 20 undernourished and 25 eutrophic.
- Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization used to detect 40 oral microbial species.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in gingival health indices (plaque, bleeding) were observed between undernourished and eutrophic children.
- Significant differences in the prevalence of specific oral microorganisms were found.
- Undernourished children showed a higher prevalence of certain species, including *S. gordonii*, *Capnocytophaga* spp., *F. nucleatum ss nucleatum*, *P. nigrescens*, *Campylobacter gracilis*, and *T. denticola*.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional status does not appear to be directly related to gingival inflammation or bleeding on probing in this pediatric cohort.
- Undernutrition is associated with significant alterations in the oral microbiota composition.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the clinical implications of these microbial differences.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among nutritional status, gingival health and the composition of oral microbiota in children of a public school from a very poor area of San Miguel de Tucuman. Forty-five children ranging in age from 6 to 14 years old, 13 males and 32 females were studied. Twenty of these children were undernourished (Lejarraga-Morasso Table) and twenty-five were eutrophic. A clinical study that included DMF and dmf indexes, Löe Silness Plaque Index and bleeding on probing was performed. For microbiological study, saliva samples without stimulation were taken; aliquots of them were immediately placed in TAE buffer pH 7.6, adding NaOH (N and keeping at -70 °C until processed by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method to check the presence of 40 oral microorganism species. Positive bleeding on probing was present in more than 80% of children, without significant differences between eutrophic and undernourished groups. Same result were obtain for the other clinical indexes (p > 0.05, Two Way ANOVA). Significant differences were found for some oral microorganism species, with a higher percentage of undernourished children harboring them. That was the case of S. gordonii (p < 0.05), Capnocitophaga gingivalis and C. ochraceae (p < 0.01 and p < 0.10, respectively), F. nucleatum ss nucleatum (p < 0.05), P. nigrescens (p < 0.10), Campylobacter gracilis (p < 0,05), and T. denticola (p < 0.10, multiple logistic regression). Significant differences were also found between children groups for E. saborreum (p < 0.001), P. acnes (p < 0.10), G. morbillorum (p < 0.05) and L. buccalis (p < 0.10). Gingivitis and bleeding on probing would not be related to nutritional status in the groups of children studied. There were significant differences for the presence of some of the main periodontal pathogen species between eutrophic and undernourished children. It would be important to study the meaning of significant differences found for the other microorganisms more deeply.
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