Candida species are common global opportunistic pathogens that could repeatedly and chronically cause oral mucosa infection and create an inflammatory environment, leading to organ dysfunction. Oral Candida infections may cause temporary or permanent damage to salivary glands, resulting in the destruction of acinar cells and the formation of scar tissue. Restricted function of the salivary glands leads to discomfort and diseases of the oral mucosa, such as dry mouth and associated infection. This narrative review attempts to summarize the anatomy and function of salivary glands, the associations between Candida and saliva, the effects of Candida infection on salivary glands, and the treatment strategies. Overall, clinicians should proactively manage Candida infections by educating patients on oral hygiene management for vulnerable populations, conducting frequent checks for a timely diagnosis, and providing an effective treatment plan.

To assess the dentoskeletal factors of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) that can predict anterior open-bite development after stabilization splint treatment (ST). Eighty-seven TMD p...

Recent studies have begun exploring the potential involvement of microbiota in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP), yet comprehensive investigations remain limited. Hence, this study aimed to compare the microbial profiles in saliva samples obtained from patients with OLP against those from healthy controls (HC), along with a comparison between erosive (E) and non-erosive (NE) OLP patients. Saliva samples were collected from 60 OLP patients (E: n = 25, NE: n = 35) and 30 HC individuals. Analysis revealed no significant differences in alpha diversity, as assessed by the Chao1 and Shannon index, across the three groups. However, Bray–Curtis distance analysis indicated a significant disparity in microbiome composition distribution between HC and E-OLP, as well as HC and NE-OLP groups. The six most abundant phyla observed across the groups were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Saccharibacteria (TM7). Notably, OLP groups exhibited a higher prevalence of Bacteroidetes. Prevotella emerged as the predominant genus in the OLP groups, while Capnocytophaga showed a relatively higher prevalence in E-OLP compared to NE-OLP. This study’s findings indicate a notable difference in microbiota composition between HC and patients with OLP. Additionally, differences in the microbiome were identified between the E-OLP and NE-OLP groups. The increase in the proportion of certain bacterial species in the oral microbiome suggests that they may exacerbate the inflammatory response and act as antigens for OLP.

Ju HM, et al. Yonsei Med J. 2021 Aug;62(8):767-775. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2021.62.8.767

Burning moouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic pain condition similar to neuropathic pain. It is characterized by a persistent burning sensation in the oral cavity. Despite the lack of clarity regarding the etiology of BMS, recent studies have reported an association between the gut microbiome and neuropathic pain. However, few studies have investigated the association between the oral microbiome and orofacial pain, such as BMS. This study aimed to compare the oral microbial profiles of healthy controls (HC) and patients with BMS. The BMS group was further divided into BMS_low and BMS_high groups according to pain intensity. A total of 60 patients with BMS (BMS_low, n = 16; BMS_high, n = 44) and 30 HC provided saliva samples, which were sequenced and analyzed for the V1–V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The alpha diversity was similar among the three groups. However, a significant difference in the distribution of microbiome composition was observed between BMS_high and HC, as revealed by the Bray–Curtis distance analysis (P < 0.01). At the genus level, Prevotella and Alloprevotella were the most abundant genera in the BMS group. Compared to HC, BMS_high exhibited a relatively higher abundance of bacterial species. Some bacteria, including Prevotella spp., exhibit an increasing pattern with subjective pain intensity. These results suggest the potential involvement of oral microbiota in BMS pathogenesis. Additionally, variations in the microbiome may occur not only in the presence or absence of pain, but also with pain severity.