The importance of Veillonella in the oral microbiome and its impact on dental and periodontal pathology: a literature review

Abstract

Relevance. Veillonella is associated with diseases of the oral cavity. Representatives of this genus occupy a significant share in the composition of the plaque microbiota and are involved in the formation of food chains and regulating the pH of the oral microbiome.The aim of this article is to provide an overview of scientific studies on the Veillonella taxonomic group's position in the oral microbiome and their possible impact on the development of infectious diseases of the oral cavity.Materials and methods. A scientific search was conducted in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, NCBI, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and eLibrary.RU for the last 40 years. 88 sources in English and 1 in Russian were analyzed and included in this review.Results. Various species of Veillonella promote the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and metabolize the lactate produced by streptococci. They also play an essential role in forming the periodontium microbial biofilm, entering into co-aggregation with primary, intermediate and late colonizers, including such periodontal pathogens as Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Veilonella is involved in the formation of lipopolysaccharides and hydrogen sulfide in pulpitis, periapical periodontitis and halitosis.Conclusion. Veillonella spp. is a significant component of the oral microbiome and can be viewed as a stabilizing component and as an indicator of a violation of the ecosystem's metabolic situation.