Tongue Microbiome Linked to Heart Health
Researchers from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine found that patients with chronic heart failure have different tongue characteristics and microbiota compared to healthy individuals.
In heart failure patients, the tongue appears redder with a yellow coating, and this appearance changes as the disease progresses.
The researchers also found differences in the type, quantity, and dominant bacteria of the tongue coating in heart failure patients.
Tongue Microorganisms as a Diagnostic Tool
The team suggests that microorganisms found on the tongue could serve as a potential diagnostic tool for heart failure.
This notion builds upon previous research that identified tongue coating microorganisms could differentiate patients with pancreatic cancer from healthy individuals.
The Role of Bacteria and Immunity in Heart Failure
Some bacteria are known to be linked with immunity, prompting researchers to propose that a microbial imbalance could stimulate inflammation and disease.
Both inflammation and immune responses play crucial roles in heart failure, pointing to the potential significance of the tongue microbiome in this condition.
The Study
The researchers enrolled 42 patients with chronic heart failure and 28 healthy controls, none of whom had oral, tongue or dental diseases or had taken antibiotics and immunosuppressants in the past week.
Using stainless steel spoons, the team collected samples of the tongue coating in the morning before participants brushed their teeth or ate breakfast.
They used a technique called 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify bacteria in the samples.
Key Findings
Researchers found distinct microbiota in the tongue coatings of heart failure patients and healthy individuals, with no overlap in bacterial content between the two groups.
Five categories of bacteria could distinguish heart failure patients from healthy people with an 84% accuracy rate. There was also a decrease in the levels of Eubacterium and Solobacterium as heart failure advanced.
Looking Forward
These results suggest that tongue microbes, which are easy to sample, could be used for large-scale screening, diagnosis, and long-term monitoring of heart failure.
However, further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms linking tongue microbiota with heart function.
The study was led by Dr. Tianhui Yuan.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and scientists find how COVID-19 damages the heart.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about Aspirin linked to higher risk of heart failure, and results showing this drug could reduce heart disease, fatty liver, obesity.
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