Alteration of oral flora in betel quid chewers in Sri Lanka

Abstract Background Betel quid chewing is known as a crucial risk factor for oral diseases such as periodontal diseases, oral cancer, and precancerous lesions in Southeast Asian countries. Although abnormal oral bacterial flora may be linked to betel quid related-oral diseases such as oral cancer, precancerous lesions, and periodontal diseases, little information is available on alterations of their oral flora thus far. To identify these alterations, we analyzed the oral flora in betel quid chewers (BQC) and non-chewers (NC) in Sri Lanka. Methods Samples obtained from buccal swabs of BQC and NC were analyzed with a next generation sequencer. Data were processed and analyzed using the QIIME software package. Mann–Whitney U test and Permutational multivariate analysis of variance were used for statistical analyses. P values  Results In BQC, the proportion of periodontal pathogens including Actinomyces, Tannerella, and Prevotella was higher than that in NC (P  Conclusion The results suggested that betel quid chewing significantly altered oral flora. Adequate oral health care may help prevent BQC from developing bacterial pathogen-related oral diseases.