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Summarize evidence on oral microbiota development and its links to health and disease in children.

February 16, 2026Microbiology Independent Research Journal (MIR Journal)0 citationsOpen Access

Composition and clinical significance of the oral microbiota in health and disease: focus on children and upper respiratory pathology

Key Points

Summarize evidence on oral microbiota development and its links to health and disease in children.
Conducted a narrative synthesis of recent publications over the last decade.
Included peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.
Focused on different sampling sites like saliva, plaque, and mucosal niches.
Oral microbial communities vary by niche and are influenced by age, diet, and hygiene practices.
Pediatric studies show links between oral dysbiosis and recurrent oropharyngeal infections.
Longitudinal studies are necessary to validate biomarkers and causal relationships.

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The oral microbiota is a complex, site-specific microbial ecosystem that develops from birth and contributes to oral homeostasis, immune maturation, and host – microbe interactions. Increasing evidence links oral dysbiosis not only to dental caries and periodontal disease but also to selected extra-oral conditions, particularly in children. OBJECTIVE: To summarize recent evidence on the development and variability of the oral microbiota across the lifespan and to describe reported associations between oral microbial shifts and diseases of the oropharynx and other organ systems, with particular emphasis on pediatric populations. METHODS: A narrative synthesis was performed using domestic and international publications from the past decade, including peer-reviewed original studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Evidence was interpreted with attention to study design, sampling sites (saliva, plaque, and mucosal niches), population characteristics, and microbiota profiling methods, including culture-based approaches, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metagenomic techniques. RESULTS: Oral microbial communities differ by oral niche and change dynamically with age, dentition, diet, hygiene practices, host factors, and clinical status. Early-life colonization and tooth eruption shape microbiota maturation, and pediatric studies consistently report associations between oral dysbiosis and recurrent oropharyngeal infections and inflammatory conditions. Across studies, heterogeneity in sampling strategies, analytical pipelines, and cohort composition limits comparability and constrains causal inference. CONCLUSION: Oral microbiota profiling — particularly saliva- and plaque-based signatures — shows potential for risk stratification and monitoring of selected oral and systemic conditions. However, well-designed longitudinal studies and interventional trials are required to validate clinically useful biomarkers and to clarify causal mechanisms linking oral dysbiosis to disease.

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