Tooth-Specific <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> Distribution and Associated Microbiome

oleh: Márcia Dinis, William Traynor, Melissa Agnello, Myung-Shin Sim, Xuesong He, Wenyuan Shi, Renate Lux, Nini Chaichanasakul Tran

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-05-01

Deskripsi

Dental caries is multifactorial and polymicrobial in nature and remains one of the most common oral diseases. While caries research has focused on <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> as the main etiological pathogen, its impact at the tooth level is not fully understood. In this cross-sectional study, the levels and distribution of <i>S. mutans</i> in the posterior teeth at different dentition stages were investigated along with the corresponding tooth-specific microbiome. Occlusal plaque samples of 87 individual posterior teeth were collected from thirty children in three dentition stages (primary, mixed, and permanent). The <i>S. mutans</i> levels in the occlusal plaque of individual posterior teeth were quantified with qPCR, and those with preferential colonization were selected for tooth-specific microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: Quantification of <i>S. mutans</i> levels in the occlusal plaque confirmed the preferential colonization on the first primary and permanent molars. These teeth were selected for further tooth-specific microbiome sequencing, as they also displayed high caries experience. There were significant differences in the relative abundance of the four most abundant genera: <i>Neisseria</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, <i>Rothia,</i> and <i>Veillonella</i>. Furthermore, the tooth-level caries experience was correlated with a reduction in the microbiome diversity. Analyzing the different tooth-associated microbial communities, distinct tooth-specific core microbiomes were identified. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that caries susceptibility at the tooth level, depending on tooth type and dentition stage, is influenced by individual species as well as plaque community.