The biomarker potential of the oral microbiota

Research on oral bacteria extends beyond oral diseases to systemic diseases. After all, oral bacteria have been associated to several medical conditions, ranging from different types of cancer over preterm delivery to cardiovascular diseases. As there is also evidence that bacteria in saliva can help to distinguish patient groups from healthy individuals, the aim of this project is to investigate the biomarker potential of the oral bacteria. Therefore, we will focus on three different aspects, starting with optimizing the collection of saliva samples and the extraction of genetic information of the bacteria in saliva. Next we will look for (unexpected) factors that might interfere with the analysis and interpretation of bacterial research on saliva, other than for example tooth decay. Finally, we will assess and apply this knowledge in two studies. The first study is on patients that participate in a fecal microbiota study and have their colonic bacteria being replaced by colonic bacteria of a donor. We want to assess if this affects the oral bacteria, in other words, we want to study if changes in the bowel can be detected in the saliva. The second study is in pregnant women. Building on our knowledge on the factors that interfere with oral bacteria, we want to check if oral bacteria can be use to predict preterm delivery. The potential identification of oral bacteria that differ between patients and healthy subjects will allow future prevention of specific diseases.