Microbial Signatures of Oral Dysbiosis, Periodontitis and Edentulism Revealed by Gene Meter Methodology

Conceptual models suggest certain microorganisms (e.g., the red complex) are indicative of a specific disease state (e.g., periodontitis); however, recent studies have questioned the validity of these models. Here, the abundances of 500+ microbial species were determined in 16 patients with clinical signs of one of the following oral conditions: periodontitis, established caries, edentulism, and oral health. Our goal was to determine if the abundances of certain microorganisms reflect dysbiosis or a specific clinical condition that could be used as a signature for dental research. Microbial abundances were determined by the analysis of 138,718 calibrated probes using Gene Meter methodology.