Study investigates role of fungi in childhood caries

Researchers at Clemson University College of Science in the US examined the oral mycobiome in a study that they say could offer valuable insight into the role fungi play in the mouth as it relates to caries.

For years, the dental community has known that tooth decay occurs when the good and bad bacteria in our mouth become imbalanced and forms a biofilm (aka plaque). The biofilm absorbs the sugars we eat and the bacteria catabolise those sugars, turning them into acid, which decalcifies the teeth and causes cavities.

Thanks to advances in genome sequencing technology, scientists recently discovered that there is also a high diversity of fungi in the mouth, albeit in far fewer numbers than bacteria. However, little was known about the fungi’s role in cavity formation and caries disease progression.