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Review
. 2024 Sep 22;16(18):3206.
doi: 10.3390/nu16183206.

Balancing the Oral-Gut-Brain Axis with Diet

Rebecca Kerstens  1 , Yong Zhi Ng  1   2 , Sven Pettersson  1   3   4 , Anusha Jayaraman  1
Affiliations
Review

Balancing the Oral-Gut-Brain Axis with Diet

Rebecca Kerstens et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: The oral microbiota is the second largest microbial community in humans. It contributes considerably to microbial diversity and health effects, much like the gut microbiota. Despite physical and chemical barriers separating the oral cavity from the gastrointestinal tract, bidirectional microbial transmission occurs between the two regions, influencing overall host health. Method: This review explores the intricate interplay of the oral-gut-brain axis, highlighting the pivotal role of the oral microbiota in systemic health and ageing, and how it can be influenced by diet. Results: Recent research suggests a relationship between oral diseases, such as periodontitis, and gastrointestinal problems, highlighting the broader significance of the oral-gut axis in systemic diseases, as well as the oral-gut-brain axis in neurological disorders and mental health. Diet influences microbial diversity in the oral cavity and the gut. While certain diets/dietary components improve both gut and oral health, others, such as fermentable carbohydrates, can promote oral pathogens while boosting gut health. Conclusions: Understanding these dynamics is key for promoting a healthy oral-gut-brain axis through dietary interventions that support microbial diversity and mitigate age-related health risks.

Keywords: diet; gut microbiota; oral microbiota; oral–gut–brain axis; periodontitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The oral–gut–brain axis. The interactions between the oral cavity, the gut, and the brain through the microbiota. The oral microbiota also interacts directly with the brain as well as several other organs in the body through the oral–brain or oral–body axes. Poor oral hygiene and untreated oral diseases can cause harmful oral microbiota to reach the gut and or the brain, leading to potential deleterious systemic effects. Maintaining oral hygiene by good practices and dietary interventions can help maintain gut health and brain health, and facilitate healthy aging.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Literature search strategy used for this review.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The link between the oral–gut–brain axis and brain disorders.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Nutrition and oral–gut–brain axis. Nutrition can alter several aspects of the oral–gut–brain axis. The bottom green and red panels highlight some of the foods with examples that are beneficial or harmful, respectively, to maintain a healthy oral–gut–brain axis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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