Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood and disproportionately affects poor and minority children. It is understood that a combination of cariogenic bacteria, frequent sugar intake, and a susceptible host are required for caries development, and that the best predictor of caries is past caries experience. However, the complex microbial etiology of caries is not completely understood.
The purpose of this study was to compare bacterial species and communities associated with early childhood caries and health using next-generation sequencing techniques. Young children with established and rampant caries of the primary dentition were identified, along with a group of healthy controls, and plaque samples were collected according to a clinical model of caries progression. 16S pyrosequencing was used to identify the bacteria present in the samples.
This technique identified more than 300 species in the oral microbiome of childhood, with many being associated with caries or health status. Overall a greater number of species were found at low levels and associated with health. Potential caries pathogens included Streptococcus mutans, Veillonella atypica dispar parvula, Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Prevotella histicola, Streptococcus vestibularis salivarius, Olsenella profusa, Rothia dentocariosa, Lactobacillus fermentum, Rothia mucilaginosa, and Streptococcus parasanguinis oralis.
Using 16S pyrosequencing, a better understanding was gained of the complexities of the oral microbiomes in health and disease. This new knowledge will allow investigations into possible screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for caries, decreasing the burden of this disease in children.