Kevin Ketagoda1, Sonia Nath2 Lisa Jamieson3 Laura Weyrich4, Peter Zilm5
1Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, SA, 5005. Australia. don.ketagoda@adelaide.edu.au, 2Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, SA, 5005. Australia. sonia.nath@adelaide.edu.au, 3Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, SA, 5005. Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au, 4Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. laura.weyrich@gmail.com, 5Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, SA, 5005. Australia. peter.zilm@adelaide.edu.au
Abstract:
Dental caries (cavities, dental decay) affects up to 90% of Australians and impacts young children, adults, and the elderly. We now know that caries aetiology is linked to several species within the oral microbiome – the hundreds of bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and parasites living in the human mouth. New preventative approaches leveraging the oral microbiome are needed to move dentistry beyond a reactive approach to treating dental caries.
Oral microbiome transplant (OMT) therapy uses an ecological approach to prevent dental caries and may revolutionise the way that this disease is understood, treated, and managed. An OMT typically involves harvesting a healthy donor’s dental plaque and transplanting it into a recipient (i.e., someone with severe caries).
Aim: To investigate the efficacy of OMT technology in suppressing dental caries.
Methodology: Suitable OMT donors were selected from the community and their dental plaque was cultured in 3D printed flow cells. Harvested plaque was removed and used to perform an OMT using a murine caries model.
Results: OMT reduced up to 70% of caries formation in rats fed a high sucrose diet and modulated their oral microbiome.
Conclusion: OMT successfully suppressed dental caries in rats – highlighting the significance of exploring this new technology.