Incense Burning is Associated with Human Oral Microbiota Composition.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Incense burning is a widespread practice globally.
• Incense combustion releases environmental toxicants with potential health implications.
• The biologic effects of incense exposure, particularly on the oral microbiota, are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between incense use and the composition of the oral microbiota in adults.
• To determine if incense exposure leads to potentially health-significant changes in oral microbial communities.
• To assess the impact of varying frequencies of incense use on oral microbial profiles.

Main Methods:

• Oral microbiota analysis using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplification from mouthwash samples.
• Quantification of incense use frequency via a questionnaire.
• Statistical analyses including PERMANOVA for overall composition and negative binomial generalized linear models for specific taxon abundances.

Main Results:

• Incense exposure was linked to significantly higher oral microbial diversity (p < 0.013).
• Overall oral microbiota composition showed significant alterations associated with incense use (PERMANOVA, p = 0.003).
• Incense use correlated with changes in bacterial abundances, including a depletion of Streptococcus, even in occasional users.

Conclusions:

• Incense burning demonstrably alters the human oral microbiota.
• These alterations suggest incense smoke impacts oral microbial ecology, even at low exposure levels.
• The oral microbiota may serve as an early indicator of incense-related toxic effects and associated health risks.