Systemic antibiotics increase microbiota pathogenicity and oral bone loss.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Periodontitis is a widespread oral disease linked to oral microbiota.
• Systemic antibiotics can cause gut dysbiosis, with unknown effects on oral health.
• The impact of antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis on periodontitis is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how systemic antibiotics affect oral microbiota pathogenicity and bone loss.
• To explore the link between gut dysbiosis and periodontitis.
• To determine if fecal microbiota transplantation can mitigate antibiotic-induced periodontitis.

Main Methods:

• Mice were administered a four-antibiotic cocktail in drinking water.
• Oral microbiota, pathogenicity, and alveolar bone loss were assessed.
• Fecal microbiota transplantation from healthy mice was performed.

Main Results:

• Long-term antibiotic use induced gut dysbiosis, disturbed oral microbiota, and aggravated periodontitis.
• Antibiotic treatment increased Th17-related cytokines and decreased Treg-related factors in periodontal tissue.
• Fecal microbiota transplantation restored gut microbiota, reduced oral pathogen load, corrected Th17/Treg imbalance, and alleviated bone loss.

Conclusions:

• Systemic antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis can negatively impact oral microbiota and worsen periodontitis.
• A Th17/Treg imbalance in periodontal tissue may mediate this effect.
• Regular periodontal assessment is recommended for patients on long-term systemic antibiotics.