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Peer-reviewedCC BYJournal of oral microbiology

Does the mouth seed the small bowel? Mechanisms and hypothesis-generating framework via the oral–gut axis

  • Lin He1
  • Jing Wang1
  • Tao Bai2
  • Xiaohua Hou2
  • Di Ran1
  • Jie Yang1
  1. 1Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China
  2. 2Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China
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Abstract

Background: As the starting segment of the digestive tract, the oral cavity harbors a complex microbial community that closely interacts with the distal gut microbiota. Recent evidence suggests that oral hygiene status and oral dysbiosis may correlate with gut microbial homeostasis and play a potential role in the initiation or exacerbation of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

Objective: This review aims to integrate existing evidence, outline a hypothesis-generating framework, identify critical knowledge gaps, and provide new perspectives for future interdisciplinary mechanistic research and clinical translation in SIBO and related gastrointestinal disorders.

Design: This narrative review synthesizes and evaluates preliminary clinical correlations, metagenomic surveys, and animal models that support the oral microbiota as a potentially modifiable factor associated with SIBO, and discusses the proposed underlying molecular pathways.

Results: Existing evidence supports the oral microbiota as a potentially modifiable factor associated with SIBO. However, direct high-level evidence testing oral hygiene interventions against definitive SIBO outcomes is currently lacking.

Conclusions: The oral-gut axis may play a critical role in SIBO pathogenesis. Future research requires high-quality clinical trials to validate the impact of oral hygiene interventions on SIBO outcomes, bridging the current critical knowledge gaps.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{he2026does,
  title = {{Does the mouth seed the small bowel? Mechanisms and hypothesis-generating framework via the oral–gut axis}},
  author = {Lin He and Jing Wang and Tao Bai and Xiaohua Hou and Di Ran and Jie Yang},
  journal = {Journal of oral microbiology},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1080/20002297.2026.2735085},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13721802},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Does the mouth seed the small bowel? Mechanisms and hypothesis-generating framework via the oral–gut axis
AU  - Lin He
AU  - Jing Wang
AU  - Tao Bai
AU  - Xiaohua Hou
AU  - Di Ran
AU  - Jie Yang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Journal of oral microbiology
DO  - 10.1080/20002297.2026.2735085
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13721802
AB  - Background: As the starting segment of the digestive tract, the oral cavity harbors a complex microbial community that closely interacts with the distal gut microbiota. Recent evidence suggests that oral hygiene status and oral dysbiosis may correlate with gut microbial homeostasis and play a potential role in the initiation or exacerbation of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).  Objective: This review aims to integrate existing evidence, outline a hypothesis-generating framework, identify critical knowledge gaps, and provide new perspectives for future interdisciplinary mechanistic research and clinical translation in SIBO and related gastrointestinal disorders.  Design: This narrative review synthesizes and evaluates preliminary clinical correlations, metagenomic surveys, and animal models that support the oral microbiota as a potentially modifiable factor associated with SIBO, and discusses the proposed underlying molecular pathways.  Results: Existing evidence supports the oral microbiota as a potentially modifiable factor associated with SIBO. However, direct high-level evidence testing oral hygiene interventions against definitive SIBO outcomes is currently lacking.  Conclusions: The oral-gut axis may play a critical role in SIBO pathogenesis. Future research requires high-quality clinical trials to validate the impact of oral hygiene interventions on SIBO outcomes, bridging the current critical knowledge gaps.
SN  - 2000-2297
ER  -