About the Oral Microbiota Test
Let’s talk about the Microbiota, thriving within us is a hidden world of trillions of microbes – the microbiota, or microbiome. These tiny residents, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, aren’t just passengers; they play a vital role in our health. From aiding digestion and producing vitamins to fending off harmful invaders, the microbiota is an essential partner. Research suggests the microbiota’s influence extends even further, potentially impacting our immune system, metabolism, and even behavior.
The Oral Microbiota Test is a cutting-edge analysis that delves into the makeup of your unique oral microbiota. By analyzing a saliva sample, this test provides valuable insights into the types and quantities of bacteria present in your mouth. This information can be used to:
- Identify potential imbalances: An imbalance in your oral microbiota can be linked to various oral health problems, such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and bad breath. The Oral Microbiota Test can help detect these imbalances early on, allowing you to take steps to restore a healthy balance.
- Promote personalized oral care: By understanding your unique oral microbiota, the results report can recommend personalized oral care strategies. This may include specific probiotics, flossing techniques, or dietary modifications to promote a healthy balance of bacteria in your mouth.
- Optimize your overall health: Emerging research suggests a strong link between oral health and overall health. A balanced oral microbiota may contribute to a healthier gut, a stronger immune system, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Why Take the Oral Microbiota Test?
Maintaining a healthy oral microbiota is essential for preventing various dental issues, including: gum disease, cavities and bad breath.
Beyond oral health, a balanced oral microbiota has also been linked to promoting overall health and well-being. Research suggests that an imbalanced oral microbiota may be associated with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis among others.
The Oral Microbiota Test empowers you with valuable information about the bacteria residing in your mouth. With this knowledge, you can work with your dentist or healthcare provider to develop a personalized plan to:
- Promote a healthy oral microbiota
- Reduce your risk of dental problems
- Potentially improve your overall health
By taking charge of your oral health, you can invest in a healthier smile and a brighter future.
The Science Behind the Oral Microbiota Test and Test Results
The laboratory analyze your oral health by studying the types and amounts of bacteria present. Just like classifying plants and animals, there’s a system (taxonomy) for grouping bacteria based on their similarities. This system helps categorize large groups (genera) down to individual species.
Then, they use a technique called metagenomics to analyze your oral bacteria’s DNA. This method focuses on a specific DNA region that allows scientists to classify bacteria by genus and species.
The results report first provides a general picture of your oral microbiota’s diversity, an indicator of oral health. It then identifies the types and amounts of bacteria that might be harmful. By analyzing the percentages of different bacterial groups, the test determines if your microbiota is balanced (eubiosis) or imbalanced (dysbiosis).
Finally, the laboratory uses bioinformatics to connect your results with published scientific research. This allows them to show the potential impact of each identified bacteria on your oral health and potentially other health conditions. It’s important to remember that these connections suggest possibilities, not guarantees, and the results report is for informational purposes only.
How to Order the Oral Microbiota Test?
The Oral Microbiota Test is a simple and convenient process:
- Order Your Test Kit: The test kit includes easy-to-follow instructions and a sterile collection container for your saliva sample.
- Collect Your Sample: Following the provided instructions, collect a small saliva sample and securely store it in the collection container.
- Return Your Sample: Send your sample back to the lab using the pre-paid envelope provided.
- Receive Your Results: Within 6 to 8 weeks, you will receive a detailed report outlining your unique oral microbiota composition.
Order Your Oral Microbiota Test with The All-In-One Health Testing Package!
EasyDNA’s All-in-One Health Testing Package can grant you access to a plethora of genetic information covering areas such as your ancestral origins, personality traits, physical performance, response to different nutrients, predisposition to diseases and skincare needs.
Discover even more about yourself ordering the All-In-One Health Testing Package with your Oral Microbiota Test. You will only need one sample to get valuable information which can help you make important decisions to further improve your health, lifestyle and wellbeing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is microbiome the same as microbiota?
The microbiome is the set of microorganisms, genes, and metabolites of an organism. It is a broader and more general concept, while the microbiota corresponds to the microorganisms that inhabit our body, either in a specific part or in the whole. However, outside the scientific field, both terms are used interchangeably and are often considered synonyms.
Is oral microbiota the same as intestinal microbiota?
The oral microbiota is found in the mouth, and the intestinal microbiota is in the intestine. But the location, which gives it its name, is not the only difference between the two, but also the species and genera of bacteria that populate them. Some bacteria can be found in both areas of the body, but others are exclusive to one of them.
Is having bacteria bad?
It depends on which bacteria. We can have harmful bacteria, and some of them result in the inevitable development of a disease. Still, there are also bacteria called commensals, with which the body has a symbiotic relationship and which are harmless or even beneficial to us. However, an imbalance of these same commensal bacteria, either in the oral microbiota or elsewhere in the body (dysbiosis) can be detrimental to health. The human microbiome is made up of 100 billion microorganisms, many of which benefit from us, and we benefit from them.
How reliable are my results?
Our methodology ensures that the result of your report closely matches the reality of your oral microbiota, and the number of scientifically validated studies we apply in our algorithm allows us to ensure that our microbiota analysis is as reliable as science provides today. Furthermore, we take care of the quality of our microbiota study in every detail of the process, from the collection of the samples to how we write our reports to make them easy to understand. Only by providing adequate and accurate information we will fulfill our purpose as a company: to help you take advantage of the knowledge of your oral microbiota to make the best decisions in the control of your health and well-being.
Is it possible that i will get different results in my microbiota study compared to my genetic health report?
Yes, the reason is simple: the analysis of your microbiota is based on studying the bacteria in your mouth. At the same time, in your genetic health report, we analyze the dna of your cells. In other words, the two analyses study different components and are complementary. Having both reports can help you have a more complete picture of your health and well-being.
Do my results change throughout my life?
They change even on the same day, depending on the hour or time of day you choose to perform the test. The mouth is a part of the body that undergoes a great deal of daily exposure to external agents, and consequently, bacterial communities are also impacted by these variations. Unlike genetics, which hardly varies throughout life, the oral microbiota is constantly changing, so the idea of performing microbiota analysis at different times does make sense, as it would provide different results that would allow us to track the evolution and flow of the bacterial communities that inhabit our mouth.
If my results change throughout the day, how can i trust them?
Each oral microbiota report you receive is utterly faithful to your microbial reality at the time of the test. However, as we have already mentioned, the results may vary throughout the day due to the high exposure of our mouths to external agents. We could compare it to a blood test. Its reliability is not questioned; it’s used to make decisions after the results, although it varies every time we do a new one.
How many organisms are analyzed in my report?
The microbiota analysis we carry out is exclusive of bacterial communities. So it’s usual to find dozens of different species or genera in a person’s saliva.
What organisms are analyzed in my report?
The microbiota analysis analyzes exclusively bacteria, not fungi or viruses.
Can i have a microbiota analysis if i am taking antibiotics?
Antibiotics can alter the composition of the oral microbiota, so the results may not correspond to your current condition. Therefore, we recommend that you wait at least one month since the last dose of antibiotics to take your sample for microbiota analysis.
Are there any implications for pregnant women?
The hormonal changes during pregnancy can produce changes in the oral microbiota. Therefore, there is no contraindication in performing the microbiota study, although the results may differ from those obtained if you were not pregnant.
How is the microbiota analysis done?
You only have to deposit a saliva sample in the tube we will send to your home and return it to our offices. If you buy the all-in-one genetic test combined with the microbiota study, the analysis will be carried out with the same saliva sample; you will not need to send two samples.
How long will it take to receive my oral microbiota report?
If you only perform your microbiota genetic analysis, you will receive the report in approximately 6 to 8 weeks. However, suppose you request your microbiota study and a genetic test simultaneously. In that case, this period can be 10 to 12 weeks since the sequencing of both analyses is different and performed sequentially in different laboratories.
Why have i not received two tubes if i have purchased both the genetic health test and the oral microbiota test?
The microbiota study and the genetic health test can be carried out with a single saliva sample. That is why it is only necessary to send you one kit for the sample collection.
Can i have this oral microbiota analysis in my country?
Of course, you can. We can send a saliva sample collection kit to your home or workplace, no matter where you live. As we have multiple warehouses worldwide, we will ship your order from the closest point to your residence so that you receive it quickly and can start your microbiota study as soon as possible.
According to the results of my oral microbiota analysis, should i make important changes in my habits by myself?
Our microbiota study will give you information about your propensities to specific pathologies. However, you should not make significant changes in your treatments or health and wellness habits without validating your doctor, who will have access to more health history data.
Are all oral microbiota tests of the same quality?
There are few biotechnology companies with the capacity to perform this type of analysis. Our test is based on a state-of-the-art analysis, in which we analyze more than 100,000 sequences in your saliva. Other companies only give you information about the bacteria in your mouth. We have also developed a complex algorithm to provide you with contrasted details on pathologies related to your oral microbiota, allowing you to make decisions that improve your health and well-being.
What is this oral microbiota analysis based on?
When there is a high level of consensus, the most relevant scientific studies are made public through international institutions and organizations. To study your microbiota, we use a complex algorithm developed by our interdisciplinary team that incorporates hundreds of these studies recognized and accepted by the scientific community worldwide. Thanks to this, our reports have an exceptional level of quality.
What exactly will i receive when i do this microbiota study?
We will send you a complete and personalized report on the microbiota of your mouth to the email address you have registered your kit with. In addition, you can request your raw data file* (an electronic file containing your genetic map) at any time, and we will send it to you by email. * the raw data file is sent in fastq format.
How can i keep my microbiota study up to date?
Our multidisciplinary team works to include the most updated scientific advances in oral microbiota so that we can add to our report new pathologies for which interrelationships with bacteria have been found. We will inform you promptly when this happens so that you can perform another microbiota analysis and keep your results updated.
Can anyone have a microbiota analysis?
Anyone from 2 to 70 years old can take our microbiota test. The test is not contraindicated outside this age range, but accurate results cannot be guaranteed, which is why we advise against it.
Is a microbiota analysis the same as a food intolerance test?
No. A microbiota analysis is entirely different from a food intolerance test and a food allergy test. Microbiota studies are infinitely more complex and expensive than the tests mentioned above, and the information they provide cannot be obtained in any other way.
Does my microbiota analysis replace my dental consultation?
The microbiota study offers an analysis of oral bacteria for preventive purposes for specific pathologies, including periodontitis. However, this test does not replace a consultation with a dentist or other health professionals, nor diagnostic tests.
Can i be diagnosed with any nutritional alteration with this microbiota study?
The microbiota study is not valid for clinical or diagnostic use. However, if your health professionals observe any relevant pathology in our reports, they may prescribe a second test with clinical validity to confirm such pathology.
Is this microbiota test valid for clinical or diagnostic use?
No, this microbiota analysis is not valid for clinical or diagnostic use. However, suppose your dentist or physician considers any of the bacteria reflected in our report relevant to your health. In that case, he/she may prescribe a clinically valid test to confirm the bacteria in question. These type of tests are preventive, and their leading utility is to bring to light health or wellness-related predispositions that are usually overlooked.
If my report says i have a high tendency to suffer from a certain pathology, does that mean i will suffer from it?
People are our microbiome, our genetics, and our experiences. Apart from your bacteria, many other environmental and physiological factors influence the development or not of a disease, so you can have high levels of a particular bacterium that marks propensity to a specific pathology and never develop it due to environmental issues, health habits and lifestyle. Similarly, the analysis of your microbiota may indicate that there is no predisposition to develop a particular disease and yet suffer from it at some point in your life. Moreover, depending on the pathology, bacteria can have a greater or lesser influence on the onset or development of a disease. Knowledge of our microbiome through a microbiota study allows health professionals to carry out their work with much more information. In addition, it makes it possible to design prevention plans that can make a difference.