Chandrasekharan Nair K ¹ *, Hemalatha Konka² , Viswanath Gurumurthy³ , Pradeep C Dathan⁴ , Lovely M Annamma⁵ , D Bheemalingeswara Rao ⁶ and T Mohan Kumar

¹ Professor Emeritus, Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental College, Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
² Registrar Prosthodontist, Al Harkan Dental Hospital, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia
³ Associate Professor, Department of Dental Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, KSA
⁴ Professor and Head of the Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental College, Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
⁵ Visiting Faculty, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
⁶ Professor and Head of the Department of Prosthodontics, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, AP, India
⁷ Director, Centre for Temporomandibular Disorders, Kunnukuzhi, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

*Corresponding Author: Chandrasekharan Nair K, Professor Emeritus, Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental College, Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

Received: December 30, 2025; Published: January 31, 2026

Abstract

Microbial community of the oral cavity is considered as complex, second only to the gut microbiome. Oral cavity is exposed to inhaled and ingested microbes that consist of more than 700 species of bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea and protozoa. Oral microbiome composition differs with individuals and with the micro habitat. However, the principal function of the microbiome remains similar in every individual. The commensal microbiome maintains oral and systemic health with delicate balance. If the balance or equilibrium is altered, both oral and systemic diseases can be developed. This is an attempt to give a narrative review on the basics of oral microbiome

Keywords: Oral Microbiome; Oral Microbiota; Oral Diseases; Systemic Diseases; Microbial Dysbiosis; Probiotics; Oral Care; Bio Film

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Citation

Citation: Chandrasekharan Nair K., et al. “Relevance of Oral Microbiome – A Narrative Review". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 10.2 (2026): 27-35.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Chandrasekharan Nair K., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.