Cohort profile: the Buffalo OsteoPerio microbiome prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Microbiome science
• Gerontology

Background:

• The oral microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining oral and systemic health.
• Understanding the microbiome's impact on health outcomes in older adults is limited.
• The Buffalo Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease (OsteoPerio) study addresses this knowledge gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the oral microbiome and oral health outcomes, including periodontal disease, in postmenopausal women.
• To explore how lifestyle habits influence the oral microbiome and its connection to systemic diseases.
• To characterize the temporal changes in the oral microbiome and its association with health.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study design involving postmenopausal women.
• Collection of data through questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and biological samples (serum, saliva).
• Comprehensive oral examinations and microbiome analysis using next-generation sequencing.

Main Results:

• Preliminary findings have enhanced understanding of periodontal disease risk factors.
• Established the relationship between the oral microbiome and periodontal disease presence and severity.
• Identified links between the oral microbiome, lifestyle, and systemic health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The OsteoPerio study provides valuable data on the oral microbiome in postmenopausal women.
• Results contribute to understanding the complex interplay between oral health, systemic health, and the microbiome.
• Future analyses will further elucidate temporal microbiome changes and disease associations.