Distinct oral microbiomes in individuals with tobacco smoking compared to nonsmoking healthy individuals

Chronic tobacco smoking contributes to oral health problems, such as periodontitis and tooth decay, which can result from smoking-altered oral microbiomes. The impact of chronic tobacco smoking on the oral microbiome remains not fully understood.

This was a cross-sectional study comparing the oral salivary microbiomes of 20 chronic tobacco smokers and 23 nonsmoking controls, all of whom were Chinese males, using microbial 16S rRNA sequencing. The duration of smoking, age, and information on gingivitis were collected and analyzed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test and a regression model.

The most increased and decreased oral microbiomes in smokers versus controls were the genera Streptococcus and Neisseria, respectively. After adjusting for age, gingivitis, smoking duration, and FDR, only the abundance of the Pectinatus genus and Streptococcus australis species was significantly increased in smokers compared to controls.

This study reveals that long-term oral tobacco smoking is associated with the enrichment of some proinflammatory microbiomes, such as S. australis.

Our study suggests that maintaining good oral hygiene, using oral probiotics that reduce proinflammatory microbiomes, or treating oral diseases may help prevent the pathogenesis of tobacco-enriched commensal pathobionts.