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While the harmful effects of smoking on overall health are widely recognised, its impact on the oral microbiome is still not fully understood, despite its significant health implications. This gap highlights the importance of delving deeper into the complex interplay between smoking and alterations in oral microbial communities.
What We Know:
Smoking unleashes toxic compounds into the oral cavity, fostering unstable bacterial growth in biofilms, elevating saliva acidity, depleting oxygen levels, altering bacterial attachment, promoting antibiotic resistance, and compromising immune responses (Mohammed et al., 2024).
Smokers exhibit distinctive oral microbiome profiles, featuring reduced bacterial diversity and specific increases in inflammation and disease-associated bacteria. Notably, smokers display lower levels of Neisseria, Porphyromonas, and Capnocytophaga, while showing higher levels of Actinomyces, Veillonella, Streptococcus, and anaerobic bacteria (Wu et al., 2016).
Research comparing cigarette and smokeless tobacco users highlights a more diverse oral bacterial community among tobacco users, characterised by higher Firmicutes and lower Proteobacteria abundance. Notably, tobacco users may harbour opportunistic pathogens like Neisseria subflava, Bulleidia moorei, and Porphyromonas endodontalis (Chattopadhyay et al., 2024).
Geographic and ethnic variations further underscore the complexity of smoking's impact on oral microbiomes. A study on an American smoking population showed reduced levels of Proteobacteria and genera involved in carbohydrate, energy, and xenobiotic metabolism, supporting the hypothesis that smoking depletes oxygen levels in the oral cavity. Meanwhile, research on a Puerto Rican smoking group showed that Proteobacteria, associated with cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, were highly enriched in smokers, as did a study on a Qatari population (Mohammed et al., 2024).
Industry Impact and Potential:
While smoking's detrimental effects are widely acknowledged, further investigation into its impact on the oral microbiome is essential. Comprehensive, age-specific studies are pivotal to elucidate smoking's influence on oral microbiota and its role in disease progression (Mohammed et al., 2024).
Addressing these knowledge gaps is crucial to understanding smoking's intricate interplay with oral microbiome dysbiosis and chronic mouth diseases, laying the groundwork for more targeted prevention and treatment strategies. Preserving oral microbiome integrity is one clear path forward (Mohammed et al., 2024).
Our Solution:
At Sequential, we specialise in oral microbiome analysis and product development, pioneering microbiome-friendly solutions. Leveraging our expertise, we stand poised to collaborate with your company in crafting innovative products that nurture a healthy oral microbiome and enhance microbiota diversity for consumers.
References:
Chattopadhyay, S., Malayil, L., Chopyk, J., Smyth, E., Kulkarni, P., Raspanti, G., Thomas, S.B., Sapkota, A., Mongodin, E.F. & Sapkota, A.R. (2024) Oral microbiome dysbiosis among cigarette smokers and smokeless tobacco users compared to non-users. Scientific Reports. 14 (1), 10394. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-60730-2.
Mohammed, L.I., Zakaria, Z.Z., Benslimane, F.M. & Al-Asmakh, M. (2024) Exploring the role of oral microbiome dysbiosis in cardiometabolic syndrome and smoking. Experimental Lung Research. 50 (1), 65–84. doi:10.1080/01902148.2024.2331185.
Wu, J., Peters, B.A., Dominianni, C., Zhang, Y., Pei, Z., Yang, L., Ma, Y., Purdue, M.P., Jacobs, E.J., Gapstur, S.M., Li, H., Alekseyenko, A.V., Hayes, R.B. & Ahn, J. (2016) Cigarette smoking and the oral microbiome in a large study of American adults. The ISME Journal. 10 (10), 2435–2446. doi:10.1038/ismej.2016.37.
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