The oral cavity is more than just the entry point to digestion it hosts a diverse community of microorganisms that can support oral health or contribute to inflammatory conditions like gingivitis and periodontal disease. Oral bacteria play vital roles not only in maintaining oral health but may also influence systemic health through inflammatory pathways said Dr. Li. However accurately understanding these interactions remains challenging with current research methods. For instance disruptions in the oral microbiome from factors like antibiotic use can compromise barrier integrity and trigger inflammation.

Traditional coculture systems have notable limitations especially when working with anaerobic bacteria that require oxygen-free conditions. Anaerobic bacteria often lose viability in standard setups due to oxygen exposure explained Dr. Pang. This limits experiments to less than 12 hours and makes it difficult to replicate the mouth’s natural oxygen gradient.

Our model surpasses conventional approaches by creating an environment that more accurately reflects the oral cavity Pang said. We developed an asymmetric gas coculture system that can simultaneously replicate both anaerobic and oxygen-rich conditions found in the mouth.

This platform represents more than just a scientific advance it’s a shift toward human-relevant research models said Dr. Li, noting that the approach aligns with recent NIH and FDA guidelines encouraging the use of human-centered models over traditional animal testing. The platform enables more accurate drug screening and a deeper understanding of host-microbe interactions compared to previous methods.

Dr. Li’s lab is currently using an ex vivo model to study interactions between oral bacteria and epithelial cells with the goal of preventing periodontal disease. Focusing on key oral pathobionts such as Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis the research aims to uncover their pathogenic mechanisms particularly given their roles in both periodontal and systemic diseases.

Source: https://bme.umich.edu/2025/06/18/investigating-the-oral-microbiome-to-gain-greater-understanding-of-oral-health/