Interplay between dental caries pathogens, periodontal pathogens, and sugar molecules: approaches for prevention and treatment

Globally, oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people, accounting for 4.6% of the healthcare expenditure. Common oral diseases include dental caries and periodontal disease, associated with biofilms formed by cariogenic pathogens. Epidemiological studies associate carbohydrates with these diseases due to the sugars metabolized by cariogenic pathogens. This review focuses on dental caries and periodontal pathogens, quorum sensing, lectin–carbohydrate interactions, and various sugar molecules. Cariogenic sugars significantly influence biofilms by enhancing pathogen adhesion, viability, and gene expressions associated with biofilm formation. Moreover, lectin–carbohydrate interactions contribute to biofilm stability. Disrupting these interactions is a potential strategy for oral disease prevention. The use of nanoparticles, such as quantum dots, provides novel insights into lectin–sugar interactions and the development of inhibitors. Additionally, nanomaterials like calcium phosphate nanoparticles neutralize acids and inhibit microbial growth. This overview emphasizes understanding the relationships between oral diseases, microbial communities, and sugars to devise preventive and therapeutic strategies against oral diseases.