Metagenómica salival aplicada en Odontología: revisión bibliográfica

Abstract

Introduction: Metagenomics is a new field in which the aim is to obtain genome sequences of the different microorganisms that make up a community, extracting and analyzing their DNA globally. The possibility of directly sequencing the genomes of micoorganism, without the need to cultive them, opens up new options that represent a change of direction in microbiology, especially considering that only 35% have been identified in the oral cavity. The human oral microbiota is the community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms found in the oral cavity. Saliva plays an important role in determining its composition and activity, being well recognized as a set of biological markers, wich can be easily collected and non-invasive, painless and non-traumatic way, so it could be a substitute for blood in the prognosis and diagnosis of diseases. Method: A literature search was carried out in Pubmed according to previously established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: A total of 37 bibliographic references were selected between 2010-2023. Conclusion: Microbiological analysis of saliva is an easy and non-invasive alternative. The salivary microbiota reflects the local bacterial alterations that occur in the subgingival and supragingival microbiota. It is therefore interesting to be able to expand knowledge in the oral microbial world, and to be able to help define more accurately the etiology of caries and periodontitis and thus be able to move towards much more effective preventive and curative treatments.