Limited Association Between Oral Hygiene, Stunting, and Microbial Virulence Profiles in Children

Stunting and poor oral hygiene can alter salivary quality, local immunity, and oral biofilm composition. Porphyromonas gingivalis expresses fimA-encoded fimbriae, while biofilm maturation involves early colonizers (Veillonella parvula) and late colonizers (Treponema denticola) mediated by VtaA and Msp adhesins. To analyze bacterial loads and fimA expression of P. gingivalis in stunted versus normal children, and correlate V. parvula and T. denticola counts, and VtaA and Msp expression, with oral hygiene status (Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified [OHI-S]) in saliva and plaque. In this cross-sectional study, 40 schoolchildren aged 9 to 12 years in Bogor, Indonesia, provided saliva and supragingival plaque samples. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid were extracted, complementary DNA was synthesized, and real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed. Absolute quantification was used for bacterial counts and relative quantification for gene expression. P. gingivalis counts were higher in saliva than in plaque, whereas fimA expression was higher in plaque, with no significant differences between nutritional groups. T. denticola counts increased with worsening OHI-S, especially between moderate and poor hygiene, while V. parvula decreased nonsignificantly. Msp expression correlated weakly and positively with OHI-S and VtaA weakly and negatively. P. gingivalis preferentially colonized saliva, while fimA was expressed more in plaque, independent of nutritional status. While T. denticola counts showed a nonsignificant upward trend in poorer oral hygiene, this exploratory finding only suggests a possible positive trend rather than demonstrating biomarker potential. V. parvula counts and fimA, VtaA, and Msp expression showed limited diagnostic value in this cohort, underscoring the exploratory nature of these microbial profiles in children.