Periodontitis
The oral microbiome is complex, and shifts in
the abundances of several types of bacteria can lead to periodontitis (Di Stefano et al., 2022). Even in low abundances, P. gingivalis can influence the composition of the rest of the microbiome in ways that lead to inflammation and periodontal bone loss by exploiting the host immune system (Hajishengallis et al., 2011)
Mucositis/Peri-implantitis
Peri-implant mucositis, and later, peri-implantitis, can develop when a biofilm forms around the implant. Disease progression corresponds with an increased diversity of the submucosal bacterial community and higher relative abundances of several pathogenic or pathogen-associated populations (Belibasakis and Manoil, 2021; Butera et al., 2022). Fortunately, mucositis and peri-implantitis plaque microbiomes can revert to healthy baselines with antibiotic and/or mechanical intervention (Bazzani et al., 2024).
Adverse pregnancy outcomes
Pregnancy is associated with decreased markers of periodontal health and changes in the oral microbiome. Associations have been made between maternal periodontitis and preterm birth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia (Ye and Kapila, 2021).
Diabetes
Diabetes exacerbates the likelihood and severity of periodontal disease (Graves et al., 2020), although this bidirectional relationship may also be affected by periodontal pathogens triggering the host immune system to activate proinflammatory responses (Tang et al., 2022).
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Several studies have associated rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis (Li et al., 2017), and P. gingivalis has been shown to produce specific peptides that trigger the host immune response in rheumatoid arthritis (Hitchon et al., 2010).
Colon Cancer
Over the last decade, one such species, called Fusobacterium nucleatum, has been strongly implicated as a potential contributor to colorectal cancer growth. Although F. nucleatum is normally found in the mouth, studies have also found increased numbers of it in the intestines of people with colorectal tumors compared with people without cancer.
In a new study, published on March 20, 2024 in Nature, NCI-funded researchers have pinpointed a single type of F. nucleatum that appears to be the cancer-fueling culprit scientists have been searching for.
Endocarditis
The oral commensal bacterium Streptococcus sanguinis possesses virulence factors that allow it to migrate into the bloodstream, bind to the cardiac endothelium, and contribute to infective endocarditis (Martini et al., 2020).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Several oral bacterial taxa have been detected in lung mucosa of patients with COPD, and similar immune responses between periodontal disease and COPD suggest a common pathophysiology (Hobbins et al., 2017; Bourgeois et al., 2019).
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Oral strains of Klebsiella are able to colonize the intestine and induce TH1 cells, leading to inflammation (Atarashi et al., 2017).
Esophageal Cancer
Oesophageal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal malignancy in China and one of the major causes of death due to cancer worldwide. The occurrence of oesophageal cancer is a multifactor…process... Specifically, bacterial infection may be involved in the process of tissue carcinogenesis by directly or indirectly influencing tumour occurrence and development. Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important pathogen causing periodontitis, and periodontitis can promote the occurrence of various tumours. An increasing number of studies to date have shown that P. gingivalis plays an important role in the occurrence and development of oesophageal cancer…
