Role of socioeconomic factors and interkingdom crosstalk in the dental plaque microbiome in early childhood caries

Early childhood caries (ECC) is influenced by microbial and host factors, including social, behavioral, and oral health. In this cross-sectional study, we analyze interkingdom dynamics in the dental plaque microbiome and its association with host variables. We use 16S rRNA and ITS1 amplicon sequencing on samples collected from preschool children and analyze questionnaire data to examine the social determinants of oral health. The results indicate a significant enrichment of Streptococcus mutans and Candida dubliniensis in ECC samples, in contrast to Neisseria oralis in caries-free children. Our interkingdom correlation analysis reveals that Candida dubliniensis is strongly correlated with both Neisseria bacilliformis and Prevotella veroralis in ECC. Additionally, ECC shows significant associations with host variables, including oral health status, age, place of residence, and mode of childbirth. This study provides empirical evidence associating the oral microbiome with socioeconomic and behavioral factors in relation to ECC, offering insights for developing targeted prevention strategies. [Display omitted] •Characterized interkingdom association between cariogenic species of Neisseria and Candida•Bacterial/fungal species are important for caries prediction using artificial intelligence•Socioeconomic index is associated with caries status and caries-associated microbial markers Khan et al. report an interkingdom association between bacteria Neisseria bacilliformis and fungi Candida dubliniensis in early childhood caries. This study shows an association between the oral microbiome and host variables, including socioeconomic and behavioral factors, in early childhood caries.