DETECTION OF THE RISK OF ORAL DISEASES MEDIATED BY MICROORGANISMS

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory pathology caused by a dysbiosis of the subgingival dental plaque microbiota. It is characterized by inflammation, bleeding and progressive destruction of the soft tissue surrounding the tooth, the periodontal ligament, and, in advanced stages, the alveolar bone. It is not an isolated problem: it affects half of the population over 50 years and is associated with multiple systemic diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, premature births or certain types of cancer, among others. As a progressive pathology, early diagnosis is key to preventing irreversible damage, reducing the need for invasive treatments, planning check-ups and improving both quality of life and high long-term costs. However, current diagnostic solutions have limitations by focusing exclusively on identifying certain mutations with low prevalence, or certain bacterial species associated with periodontal disease, without considering the overall balance between potentially pathogenic microorganisms and healthy ones. Furthermore, those methods are slow, expensive and must be carried out by specialized personnel and facilities, which limits their applicability.