Antimicrobial Resistance in the Oral Microbiome: Patterns, Drivers, Mechanisms, and Clinical Relevance

Oral microbiology has become an ever more prominent field in understanding the spread and emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within both individual and community health contexts. Despite numerous studies indicating the oral cavity as a significant reservoir for AMR genes, it remains largely underappreciated compared to other microbial habitats such as the gut. Current concerns centre on the identification of ecological factors - such as host immunity, environmental exposures, microbiome composition, and oral hygiene behaviours - that drive the selection, maintenance, and transmission of resistant microorganisms in oral communities. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for robust monitoring of AMR emergence and predict risk, as clinical consequences of resistant oral infections continue to grow, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Recent advances have begun to unravel resistome profiles and their phenotypes in oral microbiomes. Molecular and metagenomic studies have revealed diverse mechanisms of resistance, horizontal gene transfer events, and associations with specific environmental and behavioural drivers. However, despite these breakthroughs, the direct causal relationships between ecological factors and acquisition or persistence of AMR remain unclear. As a result, there persists a significant gap in translating microbiome-ecology knowledge into actionable diagnostics and preventive interventions.
This Research Topic aims to advance the comprehensive understanding of how ecological factors shape AMR in oral communities and to identify reliable biomarkers linked to resistance emergence, status, and clinical outcomes. The primary objectives are to highlight and integrate multidisciplinary findings, clarify the ecological determinants of AMR development, and stimulate novel biomarker discovery approaches, ultimately informing strategies to mitigate the spread of AMR in oral health settings.
Research within this topic is limited to the context of oral microbial communities and their direct ecological and molecular influences on resistance emergence and maintenance. We welcome original research, reviews, meta-analyses, and perspectives addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Ecological, environmental, behavioural, and clinical drivers of antimicrobial resistance in oral microbial communities
• Characterization of the oral resistome and its association with health and disease
• Horizontal gene transfer and mobilome studies in oral ecosystems
• Diagnostic tool development for AMR surveillance in oral health
• Intervention strategies targeting ecological determinants of AMR in oral settings
• Development and evaluation of novel antimicrobial agents or adjunctive therapies with activity against resistant oral pathogens, including their mechanisms of action, ecological impact on the oral microbiome, and translational potential in dental practice

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Oral microbiome, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), ecological determinants, horizontal gene transfer, biomarkers and diagnostics, oral biofilms and saliva

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