COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ORAL MICROBIOTA IN CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL UNILATERAL AND BILATERAL COMPLETE COMBINED CLEFTS OF THE UPPER LIP, ALVEOLAR RIDGE, HARD AND SOFT PALATE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/2311-9624.2026.1.16349Keywords:
children, congenital maxillofacial anomalies, fissure of palate, microbial coenoses, the oral cavity biotopes, opportunistic microorganisms.Abstract
The aim of the research was to compare the oral microbiota in in children with congenital unilateral and bilateral complete combined clefts of the upper lip, alveolar ridge, hard and soft palate. Materials and methods. The study examined 90 children (ages 8–18 years), comprising 44 cases with unilateral and 46 cases with congenital bilateral complete combined clefts of the upper lip, alveolar ridge, hard and soft palate. Results of the research. Analysis of the microbiota in children with congenital unilateral complete combined clefts of the upper lip, alveolar ridge, hard and soft palate demonstrated the persistence of microscopic Candida fungi of three species: C. albicans, C. crusei, and C. Pseudotropicalis, and did not differ significantly for both oral biotopes in cases with bilateral cleft lip. Biomaterial derived from the palate and gums in patients with unilateral cleft lip revealed the presence of anaerobic bacteria, such as Prevotella spp., Porphyromonas spp., Peptococcus spp. and Peptostreptococcus spp. Patients with bilateral cleft lip were distinguished by a higher level of persistence of periodontal bacteria, in particular Prevotella spp. and Porphyromonas spp. The frequency of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria detection in different biotopes (palate / gums) demonstrated certain differences: the indicators for Peptococcus spp. and Veilonella spp. bacteria were mainly the same, while indicators for Prevotella spp. and Peptostreptococcus spp. were more frequently recorded in gum samples. The frequency of persistence of bacteria complexes based on Socransky’s classification was observed in individuals with bilateral cleft lip. Quantitative indicators ranged from 101 to 106 CFU/ml. S. aureus dominated in the structure of aerobic and facultative anaerobic microflora in patients with unilateral cleft lip. Patients with bilateral cleft lip were characterized by a higher frequency of detection of conditionally pathogenic bacteria, in particular S. aureus, S. haemolyticus, and K. pneumoniae. Conclusions. the present study found a tendency toward the formation of oral dysbiosis with a prevalence of conditionally pathogenic aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative anaerobic bacteria.
References
Alansari N., Abed H., Abid M. Oral flora and functional dysbiosis of cleft lip and palate patients: A scoping review. Special care in dentistry : official publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry. 2024. 44(2), 255–268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/scd.12872.
Microbial Profile and Dental Caries in Cleft Lip and Palate Babies Between 0 and 3 Years Old / Durhan M. A. et al. The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal: official publication of the American Cleft Palate- Craniofacial Association. 2019. 56(3), 349–356. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1055665618776428.
Functional dysbiosis within dental plaque microbiota in cleft lip and palate patients / Funahashi K. et al. Progress in orthodontics. 2019. 20(1), 11. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1186/s40510-019-0265-1.
Characterizing the microbiota of cleft lip and palate patients: a comprehensive review / Gershater E. et al. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2023. 13, 1159455. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1159455.
Oral health in patients with cleft lip and palate: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of periodontal and dental disease and oral microbiota (part 1) / Pardo A. et al. BMC oral health. 2025. 25(1), 154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05494-5.
Oral Microbiota in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate: A Systematic Review / Świtała J. et al. Journal of clinical medicine. 2023. 12(18), 5867. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ jcm12185867.
On Behalf Of The Peri-Operative Prophylaxis In Neonatal And Paediatric Age Pop-NeoPed Study Group. Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Neonates and Children Undergoing Dental, Maxillo-Facial or Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) Surgery: A RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method Consensus Study / Rigotti E. et al. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland). 2022. 11(3), 382. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ antibiotics11030382.
Characterizing the microbiota of cleft lip and palate patients: a comprehensive review / Gershater E. et al. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2023. 13, 1159455. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1159455.
Periodontal Findings in Children and Adolescents with Cleft Lip and/or Palate: A Case-Control Study / Passinato Gheller S. A et al. Pediatric dentistry. 2021. 43(2), 133–139.
Kryvtsova M., Kostenko, Ye. Dominant microbial associations of oral cavat periodontitis and features of their sensitivity to antibacterial drugs. Studia Biologica. 2020. №14. 51-62.10.30970/sbi.1401.613.
Timokhina T. O. Condition of oral tissues in children with congenital cleft lip and palate. Wiadomości Lekarskie. 2024. 77(6), 1147–1154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36740/ WLek202406106.
The state of systemic immunity in congenital cleft lip and palate patients with diseases of oral cavity tissues / Timokhina T. O. et al. Wiadomości Lekarskie. 2024. 77(7), 1364–1371. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36740/WLek202407109
Characterization and functional prediction of the dental plaque microbiome in patients with alveolar clefts / Zhang Y. et. al. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2024. 14, 1361206. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1361206.
Characterization of the oral microbiota and the relationship of the oral microbiota with the dental and periodontal status in children and adolescents with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate. Systematic literature review and meta-analysis / Escobar- Arregocés F. et al. Clinical oral investigations. 2024. 28(5), 245. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-024-05624-3.
Investigating Oral Microbiome Profiles in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate for Prognosis of Alveolar Bone Grafting / Liu L. et al. PloS one. 2016. 11(5), e0155683. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155683.
Dynamic Change in Oral Microbiota of Children With Cleft Lip and Palate After Alveolar Bone Grafting / Zhang K. et al. The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. 2022. 59(11), 1352–1360. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1177/10556656211044396.
Prophylactic Antibiotic Therapy in Cleft Surgery-A Scoping Review / Budner M. et al. Dentistry journal. 2026. 14(1), 56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14010056.
Investigating oral microbiome profiles in patients with cleft lip and palate compared with the healthy control / Jiang W. et al. BMC oral health. 2024. 24(1), 623. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04387-3.
Xiang Z., Liu, Y. The pediatric oral mycobiome: a comprehensive review of its role in health and disease. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2026. 16, 1711789. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1711789
Efficacy of Probiotic Consumption on Oral Outcomes in Children and/or Adolescents: A Meta- Analysis / Mayta-Tovalino F. et al. International dental journal. 2024. 74(6), 1205–1219. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.identj.2024.06.013.
Periodontal and microbiological evaluation in cleft lip/palate patients undergoing orthodontic treatment: A cross-sectional study / Khatri A. et al. Journal of periodontology. 2025. 96(1), 44–54. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1002/JPER.24-0085.
Orofacial clefts alter early life oral microbiome maturation towards higher levels of potentially pathogenic species: A prospective observational study / Seidel C. L. et al. Journal of oral microbiology. 2023. 15(1), 2164147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2000 2297.2022.2164147.
