A Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Diversity in Individuals Exhibiting Oral Cavity Disorders versus those in a State of Oral Health

Abstract

Oral cavity is considered as main entrance of the body and our mouth encounters a large number of microorganisms from the outer environment, some of which have the potential to cause serious illnesses. Current study was designed to evaluate different ecological and behavioral factors which can positively or negatively affect normal flora of oral cavity. Behavioral information was gathered through personal interviews from 90 study subjects, out of which 45 were included in control group without any current oral disorders and other 45 were included in experimental group with current oral diseases. High rate of sugar consumption, low brushing frequency, over-use of medications, acidic food consumption, high rate of smoking, aggressive mode of brushing and lack of awareness about dental health were some of the factors observed in a higher ratio in experimental group. These behaviours can aggravate oral problems causing imbalances in normal flora of oral cavity. It was also noted that frequency of systemic diseases was higher in experimental group, and it was due to the fact that unbalanced bacterial oral flora can gain entry into blood through bacteraemia and travel to different organs, thus, intensifying systemic issues. A comparative analysis was also made between bacterial flora of healthy controls and oral patients. A total of 34 oral samples, 17 from control group and 17 from experimental group, were collected and analyzed morphologically and biochemically. A total of 12 distinct bacterial species were isolated from these collected samples. Some of the species were conserved in both groups but were present in varying proportions. But Neisseria spp. was isolated only from healthy controls while Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Corynebacterium and Actinobacteria were isolated from samples oral patients. The most abundant species in healthy controls were Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacilli and Staphylococcus epidermidis while in oral patients were Lactococci, Actinobacteria, Corynebacterium and Streptococcus viridans group. The involvement of oral bacterial flora in systemic diseases and role of behavioral elements in aggravating oral diseases was also responsible for oral cavity disorders. Different pathogenic bacteria can alter the natural bacterial ecology of oral cavity, aggravating oral diseases. This study may provide a baseline data to develop different strategies to control pathogenic oral flora