medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.29.21256204; this version posted April 30, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Interdental and subgingival microbiota may affect the tongue microbial ecology and oral malodour in health, gingivitis and periodontitis Abish S. Stephen1, Narinder Dhadwal2, Vamshidhar Nagala2, Cecilia Gonzales-Marin2, David G. Gillam2, David J. Bradshaw3, Gary R. Burnett3, Robert P. Allaker1 1Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK 2Adult Oral Health Centre, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary's School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, UK. 3GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Weybridge, UK. *Correspondence: Abish Stephen, Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Blizard Building, 4 Newark Street, London, E1 2AT, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 7157; Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 2191; Email:
[email protected] NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice. 1 medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.29.21256204; this version posted April 30, 2021. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. ABSTRACT Background and Objective: Oral malodour is often observed in gingivitis and chronic periodontitis patients, and the tongue microbiota is thought to play a major role in malodorous gas production, including Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs) such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methanethiol.