Oral Dysbiosis Linked to Systemic Inflammation and Autism Symptoms

Autism spectrum disorder remains a complex clinical challenge characterized by persistent social communication deficits and restricted behavioral patterns [1, 2]. While genetic factors are well established, attention has increasingly turned to the bidirectional communication between the resident microbiota and the central nervous system, a pathway known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis [3, 4]. Although much of this research has focused on intestinal dysbiosis (an imbalance in microbial communities that disrupts homeostasis) and its correlation with gastrointestinal comorbidities in these patients, the oral cavity represents a significant yet under-examined microbial reservoir [5, 6]. Chronic oral dysbiosis is known to impair mucosal barriers, potentially triggering systemic inflammation and neuroinflammatory responses that may influence cognitive function [7, 8]. A recent synthesis of evidence now clarifies how specific shifts in the oral microbial community may contribute to the pathophysiology of this neurodevelopmental condition.