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Oral Microbiome

All articles tagged with #oral microbiome

Study Links Oral Microbiome Diversity to Cognitive Processing Speed in Healthy Adults

A new study in PLOS ONE suggests that specific bacteria on the tongue may correlate with how quickly healthy adults process information. Researchers found that higher levels of Prevotella histicola were associated with faster cognitive responses in both UK and Belgian participants. The study highlights the role of oral bacteria in converting dietary nitrates into nitric oxide, a molecule that supports blood vessel dilation. While age remained the strongest predictor of cognitive decline, these microbial associations offer a potential new avenue for understanding brain health.

via ScienceAlert|

#cognitive-function #health-and-science #nitric-oxide

science6 days ago•2 min saved

Disrupting Bacterial Communication Could Shift Oral Microbiomes Toward Health

Researchers found that interfering with chemical signals used by bacteria in dental plaque can shift microbial communities toward healthier states. By using enzymes to break down specific communication molecules, scientists observed a reduction in disease-associated bacteria and an increase in beneficial species, particularly above the gumline. This approach offers a potential alternative to broad-spectrum antibiotics for managing gum disease.

via ScienceDaily|

#dental-health #microbiology #oral-microbiome

health26 days ago•3 min saved

Decade-long Japanese study links severe gum disease to 61% higher Alzheimer's risk

A ten-year observational study of nearly 1,400 adults in Japan found that individuals with the most severe gum bleeding and receding gums had a 61% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and a 56% higher risk of all-cause dementia compared to those with the least gum issues. Published in The Journal of Clinical Periodontology, the research suggests that chronic oral inflammation may contribute to neurodegeneration, though it does not prove causation. While the findings highlight a potential link between periodontal health and brain function, experts note that the study's observational nature and limited sample size for specific dementia types require further validation in diverse populations.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers-disease #dementia #health

health1 month ago•16 min saved

Food that nourishes your mouth's good bacteria

A healthy mouth depends on a diverse oral microbiome; brushing and flossing matter, but diet shapes which bacteria thrive. Limit sugary and refined carbs, eat leafy greens high in nitrate, add polyphenol-rich foods like tea and berries, enjoy cheese to boost saliva, and include fermented foods to support beneficial bacteria. Overall, a plant-forward Mediterranean-style diet supports a balanced oral ecosystem rather than relying on a single “superfood.”

via BBC|

#dental-health #diet #health

health1 month ago•4 min saved

Beet Juice May Lower Blood Pressure by Altering Mouth Bacteria

A two-week study found that daily nitrate-rich beet juice lowered blood pressure in older adults and altered the mouth’s bacteria—reducing Prevotella and increasing beneficial Neisseria—by enabling nitrate to nitric oxide conversion that relaxes blood vessels. The effect was not seen with a nitrate-free placebo, suggesting oral bacteria play a key role. Beets and other nitrate-rich vegetables may offer modest heart-health benefits when consumed regularly (about a cup daily), but they aren’t a replacement for blood pressure medications.

via Women's Health|

#beet-juice #blood-pressure #health

health2 months ago•14 min saved

Bioengineered Chewing Gum Targets HPV and Harmful Oral Bacteria Linked to Head and Neck Cancer

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania developed a lablab-bean–based bioengineered chewing gum that releases FRIL antiviral protein and Protegrin antimicrobial peptide to reduce HPV levels (up to 93% in saliva) and two cancer-linked bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum) in lab tests, while largely sparing beneficial oral bacteria. The gum is not yet publicly available and is not a substitute for HPV vaccination, regular screenings, or medical treatment; more clinical trials are needed to determine whether regular use could lower cancer risk or improve outcomes.

via NDTV|

#bioengineering #chewing-gum #head-and-neck-cancer

health-and-medicine2 months ago•6 min saved

Bioengineered chewing gum cuts HPV and harmful oral bacteria, while sparing good microbes

Researchers developed a bioengineered chewing gum containing antiviral FRIL and the antimicrobial peptide protegrin that, in ex vivo tests on patient saliva, reduced HPV levels by up to 93% and nearly eliminated two cancer-associated bacteria (Pg and Fn) while preserving beneficial oral bacteria. The gum could serve as an affordable adjunct or preventive therapy to current head and neck cancer treatments, potentially lowering infection risk without disturbing the healthy oral microbiome.

via ScienceDaily|

#antimicrobial-peptide #bioengineered-chewing-gum #head-and-neck-cancer

science3 months ago•8 min saved

Kissing Couples Exchange Mouth Bacteria, Shaping Gut Microbiomes

A Cell Press Blue study finds romantic partners share mouth bacteria far more than gut bacteria, likely due to kissing, and shows mouth bacteria can seed the gut. Analyzing 1,644 saliva–stool samples from 808 people in 207 households, researchers describe a two-step transmission: bacteria spread between cohabitants, then move from mouth to gut, with some gut strains linked to poorer cardiometabolic health, though causality isn’t established; results are correlational and limited by sequencing data.

via StudyFinds|

#couples #gut-microbiota #microbiome

health4 months ago•5 min saved

Your Co-habitants May Tune Your Gut Microbiome More Than Your Diet

A study shows people who live together share about 26% of their oral microbes, with romantic partners sharing 44%, implying that household cohabitation shapes both oral and gut microbiomes beyond diet. The oral–gut microbiome axis means microbes can transfer via saliva and shared environments, potentially influencing health and the effectiveness of treatments like fecal microbiota transplantation, and microbial exchange can extend to broader communities albeit more weakly.

via New York Post|

#fecal-microbiota-transplant #gut-health #health

health4 months ago•3 min saved

Beetroot Juice Linked to Lower Blood Pressure in Seniors

A University of Exeter study found older adults who drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice for two weeks experienced a drop in blood pressure, an effect not observed in younger participants, possibly due to age-related declines in nitric oxide production and changes in mouth bacteria that process nitrates. The findings suggest dietary nitrates from vegetables could support cardiovascular health but are not a substitute for medication, and larger trials are needed; other nitrate-rich foods like spinach and kale may offer similar benefits.

via NDTV|

#beetroot #blood-pressure #health

science5 months ago•6 min saved

Blocking Bacterial Signals May Rebalance Mouth Microbes to Fight Gum Disease

Researchers found that interrupting quorum sensing in dental plaque using lactonases can shift the mouth’s microbial balance toward health-associated bacteria and reduce disease-linked microbes, with effects that depend on oxygen levels above and below the gums; this approach aims to preserve a healthy microbiome rather than kill all bacteria and could inform broader dysbiosis-related therapies.

via ScienceDaily|

#dental-plaque #gum-disease #lactonases

science5 months ago•7 min saved

Mouthwash, Nitric Oxide, and Blood Pressure: A Nuanced Look at the Science

Social media claims that mouthwash drastically raises blood pressure are not supported. Research shows that strong mouthwashes (eg, chlorhexidine) can disrupt oral bacteria and impede nitrate-to-nitrite conversion, potentially raising systolic blood pressure in some short-term trials. However, milder, everyday mouthwashes generally have little effect on this pathway or on heart health, and a long-term study found no link between regular mouthwash use and cardiovascular death. The takeaway is to choose a milder mouthwash, use it as directed, and maintain good oral hygiene, since untreated oral disease is linked to cardiovascular risk.

via ScienceAlert|

#blood-pressure #mouthwash #nitrate-nitrite-pathway

health5 months ago•11 min saved

Mouthwash and heart health: what the science really shows

Research suggests the link between mouthwash and blood pressure depends on the product. Strong antiseptics like chlorhexidine can disrupt oral bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrite, potentially raising blood pressure in some short-term studies, while milder, everyday mouthwashes have less impact. Alcohol-containing formulations complicate interpretation, and currently there’s no consistent evidence that regular mouthwash use increases heart disease risk. For overall health, maintain good oral hygiene and choose mouthwash based on need and ingredients, using the strongest types only for specific conditions.

via Japan Today|

#chlorhexidine #health #heart-health

health6 months ago•5 min saved

Living Together, Sharing Microbes: How Partners’ Bacteria May Shape Health

Cohabiting couples share a sizable portion of their microbiomes, with about 30% of gut bacteria and notable overlaps in oral and skin microbes, driven by shared environments and daily habits. Greater microbial diversity from living together can be linked to lower risks of IBS, cardiovascular disease and high blood sugar, but the health impact depends on which bacteria are shared; some bacteria can be beneficial, others harmful. Saliva exchange during kissing further spreads oral bacteria, and while overall effects are still being studied, the shared microbiome is a real and ongoing area of research.

via The Conversation|

#couples #gut-microbiome #health

health8 months ago•7 min saved

Oral Bacteria May Accelerate Breast Cancer by Reaching Breast Tissue

A Johns Hopkins study shows Fusobacterium nucleatum, a mouth bacterium linked to gum disease, can travel to breast tissue via the bloodstream, causing inflammation, DNA damage, and cell changes that accelerate tumor growth and spread in mouse models, with BRCA1-mutant breast cells especially vulnerable; findings suggest oral microbes may influence breast cancer risk and progression.

via SciTechDaily|

#brca1 #breast-cancer #dna-damage