Changes in the oral microbioty with losing teeth

BACKGROUND: The influence of the presence/absence of teeth and periodontium preserved at their existence as a balance factor in the oral cavity including the local immunity of the mucous membranes is practically not reported in the literature.

AIM: The study aimed to examine the microbial community of the oral cavity at the loss of natural teeth.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-five individuals aged 61–74 years were under observation and divided into three study groups. The control group had partial loss of natural teeth. Group 2 had partial loss of teeth on both jaws and suffered from severe chronic generalized periodontitis. Group 3 had partial tooth loss on both jaws and suffered from chronic periapical inflammatory processes (chronic granulomatous periodontitis) in the absence of acute, chronic, or exacerbation of the chronic inflammatory process in periodontal tissues. In this study group, all upper and lower jaw teeth were extracted for oral sanitation before orthodontic treatment. The microbiota was assessed before surgical sanitation of the oral cavity (before tooth extraction) and 30–35 days after the last tooth extraction, i.e., at complete tooth loss on the upper and lower jaws.

RESULTS: On initial examination, the detection frequency of five red complex periodontopathogens (Prevotella intermedia, Bacteroides forsythus, Treponema denticola, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis) ranged from 27% to 53%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (13%–27%). In 1 month after complete tooth extraction, the detection of these microorganisms in the experimental groups (with periodontitis and periodontitis) reliably decreased (P. intermedia, 20%; B. forsythus, 20%; T. denticola, 20%; A. actinomycetemcomitans, 20%; P. gingivalis, 33%), which was not significantly different from that of the control group.

CONCLUSION: Complete extraction of teeth did not affect the presence of Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. in the saliva of patients with periodontal diseases but led to a significant reduction in the presence of periodontopathogens and Candida sp. in the saliva of older people.