Front Pediatr. 2021 Jan 21;8:620254. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.620254.eCollection 2020.

Khalid Elmaghrawy ¹, Séamus Hussey ^2 3, Gary P Moran ¹

Author information

• ¹School of Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin and Dublin Dental University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
• ²Department of Paediatrics, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
• ³National Children's Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

Abstract

The oral cavity is continuous with the gastrointestinal tract and in children, oral health may be closely linked with the overall health of the GI tract. In the case of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD), oral manifestations are an important clinical indicator of intestinal disease. Recent studies of the microbiome in IBD suggest that translocation of oral microbes to the gut may be a common feature of the microbial dysbiosis which is a signature of both CD and ulcerative colitis (UC). Murine studies suggest that translocation of oral bacteria and yeasts to the lower GI tract may trigger inflammation in susceptible hosts, providing a mechanistic link to the development of IBD. Conversely, some studies have shown that dysbiosis of the oral microbiome may occur, possibly as a result of inflammatory responses and could represent a useful source of biomarkers of GI health. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the oral microbiome in IBD and presents current hypotheses on the potential role of this community in the pathogenesis of these diseases.