Prospects of oral disease control in the future -an opinion

Phillip Marsh*, David A. Head, Deirdre A. Devine

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    37 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The mouth supports a diverse microbiota which provides major benefits to the host. On occasions, this symbiotic relationship breaks down (dysbiosis), and disease can be a consequence. We argue that progress in the control of oral diseases will depend on a paradigm shift away from approaches that have proved successful in medicine for many diseases with a specific microbial aetiology. Factors that drive dysbiosis in the mouth should be identified and, where possible, negated, reduced or removed, while antimicrobial agents delivered by oral care products may function effectively, even at sub-lethal concentrations, by modulating the activity and growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria. In this way, the beneficial activities of the resident oral microbiota will be retained and the risk of dysbiosis occurring will be reduced.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1-4
    Number of pages4
    JournalJournal of Oral Microbiology
    Volume6
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2014

    Bibliographical note

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2014 Philip D. Marsh et al.

    Keywords

    • Antimicrobial agents
    • Biofilm
    • Modelling
    • Oral microbiome
    • Plaque control

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