ABSTRACT

The oral cavity is an unique ecosystem formed by different structures, tissues, and a complex microbial community formed by hundreds of different species of bacteria, fungi, viruses, phages, and the candidate phyla radiation (CPR) group, all living in symbiosis with healthy individuals. In an opposite state, dental caries is a biofilm-mediated dysbiosis that involves changes in the core microbiome composition and function, which leads to the demineralization of tooth tissues due to the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates, producing acid by select oral bacteria. The cariogenic biofilm is typically characterized by bacterial species with the ability of adhering to the saliva-coated tooth surface, production of exopolysaccharides-rich matrix (which will limit the diffusion of acidic products of carbohydrate fermentation), and the ability of surviving in this acidic environment. Besides years of research and dental treatment, dental caries remains the most common chronic disease in children worldwide. This article aims to bring an insightful discussion about important questions that remain unanswered in the Cariology and Oral Microbiology fields, to move Science forward, characterize the interrelationships of these communities, and understand mechanistic functions between microorganisms and the host, therefore leading to translatable knowledge that benefits the provision of care to our pediatric patients.

摘要

口腔是一个独特的生态系统，由不同的结构、组织和由数百种不同种类的细菌、真菌、病毒、噬菌体和候选辐射门 (CPR) 组成的复杂微生物群落组成，它们都与健康的人共生个人。在相反的状态下，龋齿是一种生物膜介导的生态失调，涉及核心微生物组组成和功能的变化，这会导致牙齿组织因膳食碳水化合物发酵而脱矿质，并通过选定的口腔细菌产生酸。致龋生物膜的典型特征是细菌种类能够粘附在唾液覆盖的牙齿表面，产生富含胞外多糖的基质（这将限制碳水化合物发酵酸性产物的扩散），以及在这种酸性环境中生存的能力。除了多年的研究和牙科治疗，龋齿仍然是全球儿童最常见的慢性疾病。本文旨在对龋病学和口腔微生物学领域尚未解决的重要问题进行有见地的讨论，推动科学向前发展，描述这些群落的相互关系，并了解微生物与宿主之间的机械功能，从而产生可翻译的知识有利于为我们的儿科患者提供护理。