Relationship between oral conditions and the gut microbiome in healthy adults in Ishikawa prefecture, Japan

Oral conditions may influence eating habits and nutrient intake, and nutrient intake in turn may affect the gut microbiome. Furthermore, the microbiome can affect the health of the host. However, few studies have addressed the above speculations. The present study was performed to examine the relationships between oral conditions, nutrient intake, and the gut microbiota in 239 participants in Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. Denture use altered the dietary fiber intake and increased the relative abundance of Escherichia/Shigella in the gut. However, several other oral conditions affected the gut microbiota without altering nutrient intake. Diets high in dietary fiber have been reported to decrease the relative abundance of Escherichia/Shigella. Therefore, this study suggested that denture use resulted in low dietary fiber intake and increased the abundance of Escherichia/Shigella. As these bacteria have been reported to cause inflammation in the colon and various diseases, the results suggested that changes in oral conditions may lead to deterioration of several diseases.