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Review
. 2024 Jun 3;16(1):2355823.
doi: 10.1080/20002297.2024.2355823. eCollection 2024.

The oral microbiome and oral and upper gastrointestinal diseases

Sifan Liu  1 , Shidong Wang  2 , Nan Zhang  1 , Peng Li  1
Affiliations
Review

The oral microbiome and oral and upper gastrointestinal diseases

Sifan Liu et al. J Oral Microbiol. .

Abstract

Background: Microbiomes are essential components of the human body, and their populations are substantial. Under normal circumstances, microbiomes coexist harmoniously with the human body, but disturbances in this equilibrium can lead to various diseases. The oral microbiome is involved in the occurrence and development of many oral and gastrointestinal diseases. This review focuses on the relationship between oral microbiomes and oral and upper gastrointestinal diseases, and therapeutic strategies aiming to provide valuable insights for clinical prevention and treatment.

Methods: To identify relevant studies, we conducted searches in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science using keywords such as "oral microbiome," "oral flora, " "gastrointestinal disease, " without any date restrictions. Subsequently, the retrieved publications were subject to a narrative review.

Results: In this review, we found that oral microbiomes are closely related to oral and gastrointestinal diseases such as periodontitis, dental caries, reflux esophagitis, gastritis, and upper gastrointestinal tumors (mainly the malignant ones). Oral samples like saliva and buccal mucosa are not only easy to collect, but also display superior sample stability compared to gastrointestinal tissues. Consequently, analysis of the oral microbiome could potentially serve as an efficient preliminary screening method for high-risk groups before undergoing endoscopic examination. Besides, treatments based on the oral microbiomes could aid early diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Conclusions: Oral microbiomes are essential to oral and gastrointestinal diseases. Therapies centered on the oral microbiomes could facilitate the early detection and management of these conditions.

Keywords: Oral microbiome; cancer; digestive disease; microbiota; upper gastrointestinal disease.

Plain language summary

1. Various microbiomes exist in the oral cavity. 2. Under normal circumstances, oral microbes and human health coexist in harmony, once this balance is broken, it may cause a variety of diseases. 3. Oral microbiota are associated with upper digestive diseases, which are expected to be an effective triage for high-risk population before endoscopic screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Summary of changes in microbiome composition in different oral and upper gastrointestinal diseases. The figure was created with Biorender.com.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Summary of pathogenesis of oral and upper gastrointestinal tract cancers mediated by the oral microbiome. The figure was created with Biorender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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