Oral and Intestinal Bacterial Flora in Patients with Increased Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area: A Cross-Sectional...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Periodontology
• Oral Health

Background:

• Periodontitis, a bacterial plaque-induced disease, may involve interactions between oral and intestinal microflora.
• Periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) is a key indicator for systemic disease associations, but its link to bacterial flora needs more research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) and oral and intestinal bacteria.
• To explore the role of specific bacterial species in periodontitis severity.

Main Methods:

• Recruited participants from 2018-2021 at Kanagawa Dental University Hospital.
• Calculated PISA via periodontal examination and analyzed salivary leukocyte scores.
• Utilized 16S rRNA sequencing for oral (saliva) and intestinal (stool) bacterial analysis.

Main Results:

• Increased PISA correlated with higher abundance of *Bacteroides* and lower levels of *Proteobacteria* and *Actinobacteria* in saliva.
• Elevated *Bacteroides* in saliva was associated with higher salivary leukocyte scores.
• No significant correlation was found between PISA and intestinal bacteria.

Conclusions:

• *Bacteroides* is significantly abundant in the saliva of individuals with more severe periodontitis (higher PISA).
• The study found no association between PISA and the composition of intestinal bacteria.