About this Research Topic
The oral bacteriome is associated with the inner cheeks, hard and soft palates, tongue, and gingival crevices and comprises 50–100 billion bacteria encompassing 500–700 species from, but not exclusive to, the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetes with lesser contributions from Chlamydia, Chloroflexota, Chlorobiota, GNO2, Gracilibacteria, Saccharibacteria, Synergistetes, and Tenericutes, Synergistetes, SR1, TM7, and WPS-2. Archaea are further minor components of the oral microbiome, as are fungi, protozoa, viruses, and phages. While many of these microbes are commensal and protective, a significant proportion can be pro-inflammatory opportunistic pathogens that can trigger the development of periodontal diseases and dental caries, and exacerbate oral and oesophageal disorders, such as cancer. Furthermore, oral microbes can adversely affect the function/health of systemic tissues and aggravate or trigger disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, endocarditis, bacteraemia, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary disease, liver disease, various cancers, and brain dysfunction, both indirectly through production and release of inflammatory metabolites/ bioactive factors and directly by microbial invasion and spread to critical tissues.
Many oral microbes exist in surface-associated biofilms, which are mixed communities of microorganisms that are self-attached or bound to the underlying epithelium and fully embedded within a cluster of extracellular polymeric substances. This structure protects the microbes from host immune cells and antimicrobial factors, rendering them difficult to eliminate. This robustness is particularly problematic when oral dysbiosis due to environmental and food components facilitates the expansion of opportunistic pathogens. They become significant, almost permanent components of biofilms throughout the mouth and cause or exacerbate major local or systemic diseases. However, despite extensive study of these biofilms, a detailed understanding of the cellular interactions and mechanisms involved in their formation and persistence remains to be determined. This lack of knowledge continues to prevent or limit the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies against deleterious oral biofilms.
In this Research Topic, we welcome Original Research articles, Technology Reports, Reviews, Brief Research Reports, and Mini Reviews that cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:
1 Current research on forming oral biofilms and their direct and indirect adverse involvements in oral, gastrointestinal, and systemic diseases.
2 Preclinical studies on the use of bioactive factors, such as antimicrobial factors from bacteria or other sources, to interfere with the formation, structure, composition, or survival of deleterious oral biofilms.
3 Preclinical studies on the use of probiotics [single or multiples], alone or in combination with prebiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics, to modulate the oral microbiome and limit or prevent the establishment of harmful oral biofilms.
4 Preclinical studies on the use of host-derived live biotherapeutic products or their bioactive metabolites to modulate the oral microbiome and limit or prevent the establishment of dangerous oral biofilms.
5. Studies aiming to increase awareness of the critical roles of the oral microbiota in maintaining good health and well-being.
Many oral microbes exist in surface-associated biofilms, which are mixed communities of microorganisms that are self-attached or bound to the underlying epithelium and fully embedded within a cluster of extracellular polymeric substances. This structure protects the microbes from host immune cells and antimicrobial factors, rendering them difficult to eliminate. This robustness is particularly problematic when oral dysbiosis due to environmental and food components facilitates the expansion of opportunistic pathogens. They become significant, almost permanent components of biofilms throughout the mouth and cause or exacerbate major local or systemic diseases. However, despite extensive study of these biofilms, a detailed understanding of the cellular interactions and mechanisms involved in their formation and persistence remains to be determined. This lack of knowledge continues to prevent or limit the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies against deleterious oral biofilms.
In this Research Topic, we welcome Original Research articles, Technology Reports, Reviews, Brief Research Reports, and Mini Reviews that cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:
1 Current research on forming oral biofilms and their direct and indirect adverse involvements in oral, gastrointestinal, and systemic diseases.
2 Preclinical studies on the use of bioactive factors, such as antimicrobial factors from bacteria or other sources, to interfere with the formation, structure, composition, or survival of deleterious oral biofilms.
3 Preclinical studies on the use of probiotics [single or multiples], alone or in combination with prebiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics, to modulate the oral microbiome and limit or prevent the establishment of harmful oral biofilms.
4 Preclinical studies on the use of host-derived live biotherapeutic products or their bioactive metabolites to modulate the oral microbiome and limit or prevent the establishment of dangerous oral biofilms.
5. Studies aiming to increase awareness of the critical roles of the oral microbiota in maintaining good health and well-being.
Keywords: Oral microbiome, dysbiosis, biofilms, opportunistic pathogens, host disease susceptibility, modulation of biofilm composition, use of probiotics and live biotherapeutic products or their metabolites, elimination/exclusion of deleterious microbes
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
