Assessment of Oral Microbiome Variations in Early-Stage  Periodontal Disease Using Next-Generation Sequencing

Dr. Manoj Swarnkar

Authors

Dr. Manoj Swarnkar Associate Professor Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences College of Nursing Indore Madhya Pradesh, India Author

Keywords:

Oral microbiome, periodontal disease, early-stage periodontitis, gingival dysbiosis, next-generation sequencing, 16S rRNA sequencing, microbial diversity, pathogenic bacteria, subgingival microbiota, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia,

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition caused primarily by dysbiosis of the oral microbiome. In its early stages, gingival inflammation and subtle tissue alterations begin before major clinical symptoms appear, making timely detection crucial for effective management. Traditional diagnostic methods rely on clinical indicators such as probing depth, bleeding on probing,
and plaque index, but these indicators fail to capture the complex microbial shifts occurring during disease initiation. Recent advancements in molecular biology, particularly Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), have made it possible to explore microbial diversity with extraordinary depth and accuracy. This study aims to assess the microbial variations associated with early-stage
periodontal disease using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A total of 40 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: healthy
controls and those diagnosed with early-stage periodontal disease. Subgingival plaque samples were collected and processed using NGS to identify bacterial taxa, microbial abundance, and microbial diversity indices. The results showed clear microbial disparities between healthy individuals and early-stage periodontal patients. Notably, disease samples exhibited a significant increase in
pathogenic genera including Porphyromonas, Prevotella, and Treponema, while beneficial commensals such as Streptococcus and Rothia were reduced. Alpha and beta diversity analyses confirmed greater microbial richness and compositional shifts in diseased samples. The findings provide strong evidence that dysbiosis begins early, even before major clinical manifestations appear. NGS-based microbiome profiling enables early detection and offers potential for personalized periodontal treatment strategies. Overall, this study highlights the diagnostic value of microbiome assessment and underscores NGS as a powerful tool for understanding early periodontal disease progression.