Characterizing Severe Early Childhood Caries Microbiota through Culturomics

Abstract

Severe early childhood caries (SECC) is a common widespread caries affecting multiple deciduous teeth in children, which seriously affects children's physical and mental health and growth. Investigation of their pathogenic flora is essential. Two children with SECC and two caries-free children of the same age were included in this study. Using cultureomics techniques, that is, microorganisms in oral dental plaque were isolated and cultured by setting different conditions (temperature, oxygen conditions, culture medium). Species were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, and strain function was analyzed in depth in combination with clinical information. A total of 37 species were identified in this study. 4 species had never been associated with the oral cavity before, and 3 of them had never been isolated from clinical specimens. This pilot study was able to provide some new information on the complexity of the microbiota in SECC patients versus healthy children of the same age.