Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{195930,
        author = {Poojitha Vijayakumar and Poomigaa Nithiyanantham and Prakhasini Selvakumar and Prathiksha J and Parvathy P Kishorkumar and Palanikumar Chithirachetty and Preethivarthana Murugesh and Poongodi Venkatraman},
        title = {THE ROLE OF ORAL MICROBIOME IN PREVENTIVE AND PERSONALIZED DENTISTRY: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {2018-2028},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=195930},
        abstract = {The oral microbiome is a complex, dynamic ecosystem comprising over 700 microbial species that maintain a symbiotic relationship with the host through immune modulation, metabolic regulation, and ecological competition against pathogens. Disruption of this balance dysbiosis drives the pathogenesis of dental caries, periodontal disease, and peri-implantitis, and is increasingly implicated in systemic disease. This review examines the composition and developmental ecology of the oral microbiome, the mechanisms underpinning host-microbial homeostasis, and the pathways through which ecological imbalance leads to clinical disease. It further explores the emerging paradigm of personalised dentistry, encompassing salivary diagnostics, biomarker-guided risk stratification, and the CAMBRA model, alongside microbiome-informed preventive strategies including fluoride therapy, alkali-generating agents, probiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and targeted microbiome modulation. The findings collectively support a fundamental reorientation of dental practice from pathogen elimination toward ecological restoration advocating for individualised, evidence-based care as the standard for long-term oral health management.},
        keywords = {oral microbiome, dysbiosis, personalised dentistry, salivary diagnostics, ecological plaque hypothesis, caries risk assessment},
        month = {April},
        }