THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ORAL MICROBIOTA AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DENTAL CARIES

Abstract: The oral cavity is one of the most complex microbial ecosystems in the human body, harboring more than 700 bacterial species, as well as fungi, viruses, archaea, and protozoa. In recent years, advances in molecular biology, metagenomics, and 16S rRNA sequencing technologies have fundamentally changed classical views on the etiology of dental caries. According to the modern scientific concept, dental caries is not caused by a single pathogenic microorganism, but is a multifactorial disease that develops as a result of dysbiosis of the oral microbiota, changes in biofilm composition, and disruption of ecological balance. This article analyzes the composition of the oral microbiota, biofilm formation, microbial interactions involved in the development of dental caries, molecular mechanisms, and promising directions for microbiome-based prevention and treatment on the basis of contemporary scientific literature. Recent systematic reviews indicate that there are both taxonomic and functional differences between the microbiota of healthy individuals and individuals affected by dental caries, while the main underlying mechanism of the disease is considered to be microbial dysbiosis.