Lifestyle can shape the composition of beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms within the mouth, according to a new study led by Penn State biologists. The international team revealed how the oral microbiome differs over a range of subsistence strategies—from nomadic hunter gatherers to farmers to industrialized groups—and found that lifestyle, as well as specific lifestyle factors like smoking, can shape the microbiome. A paper describing the results appears Nov.
4 in the journal Microbiome . A healthy oral microbiome , a community of microorganisms living in the mouth, plays an important role in aiding in the digestion of food, immune system support and protecting against invading pathogens, while an unhealthy oral microbiome has been linked to a variety of diseases in humans. "The oral microbiome has been understudied, and most studies of the oral microbiome have been conducted in Western populations," said Emily Davenport, assistant professor of biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science and leader of the research team.
"Although we have learned a lot from that, microbiomes look different around the world. By studying how the diversity and composition of the oral microbiome varies with lifestyle in a global context, we can improve our knowledge of how the oral microbiome impacts human health." In a study of 63 Nepali individuals representing a spectrum of dietary practices, the researchers examined how major lifestyle factors like subsistence strategy—.
