Identification of Major Cultivable Aerobic Bacteria in the Oral Cavity of Malaysian Subjects

Abstract

Culture dependent and culture independent methods have shown that about 600 species of bacteria inhabit the human oral cavity. While some oral microorganisms have a direct link to dental caries, periodontal disease and halitosis, opportunistic pathogens may be responsible for systemic diseases such as bacterial endocarditis, aspiration pneumonia, osteomyelitis in children, preterm low birth weight, coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction (or stroke). This study employs bacterial 16S rDNA sequences to rapidly identify the major cultivable aerobic bacteria in the oral cavity of Malaysian subjects. The data obtained shows that the oral cavity of healthy volunteers contains a number of potentially pathogenic organisms including Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The need to profile and characterize these microorganisms using rapid detection methods can go a long way in developing future management strategies in clinical setting to enhance oral health in the Malaysian population.