Salivary microbiomes of children show sex-specific differences

Saliva specimens were collected from 85 children—41 boys and 44 girls—between the ages of 2 and 14 years. Microbial DNA was isolated using an isolation robot and then subjected to polymerase chain reaction amplification.

Significant differences in oral microbiota were found between caries-active boys and girls. The primary microbial genera associated with caries in young children include Actinobaculum, Atopobium, Aggregatibacter and Streptococcus. Actinobaculum, Veillonella parvula and the acid-generating Lactococcus lactis, all microorganisms associated with dental caries, were found in much higher prevalence in caries-active girls than boys, indicating that these microorganisms may play a more significant role in girls to shape their cariogenic microbial environment.

The poster presentation, titled “Gender-specific differences in the salivary microbiome of caries-active children,” was given on June 21, 2019. The IADR General Session and Exhibition was held in Vancouver in conjunction with the 48^th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research and the 43^rd Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

 

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