Role of Oral Microbiome in Periodontal Disease and Targeted Therapy

Abstract

The mouth microbiome is critical to overall oral health and becomes subject to a number of oral conditions, of which the most prevalent is periodontal disease, when under releasing excess of or lack of balance. Periodontal disease is a long lasting inflammatory process taking place within the tissues supporting the teeth, which often results in the retraction of our gums, movement of our teeth and, eventually, the loss of our teeth should we not receive treatment. It is, in part, it is fuelled by oral microbiome dysbiosis with the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria and loss of protective species. The topic of interest in this review is the association between the oral microbiome and the development of periodontal disease, including a discussion of microbial changes that are involved in the onset and progression of disease. We also comment on the possibility of targeted treatment (use of probiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and microbiome-based interventions) to restore microbial equilibrium and cure periodontal disease. The current studies have stressed the value of individualized microbiome-based treatment in improving the effectiveness of the treatment and recurrence prevention. Along with promising discoveries, complexities of the oral microbiome, the presence of need of accurate diagnostics, and treatment individualization are issues to be addressed. This review highlights the prospects of microbiome-specific treatment in the management of periodontal diseases with a focus on future clinical development.