Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Supragingival and Subgingival Calculus via 16S rDNA Amplicon Sequencing

Introduction : Dental calculus is a major risk factor for the accumulation of dental plaque, which leads to the progression of periodontitis. Dental calculus forms through the mineralization of dental plaque with the involvement of bacterial communities, and its formation may be influenced by the distinct environments of the supragingival and subgingival regions, similar to dental plaque. Additionally, calculus itself may affect periodontitis progression. However, no studies have examined the bacterial compositions and the differences between supragingival calculus (SUP) and subgingival calculus (SUB) in Japanese populations. This study aims to clarify and compare the bacterial communities and structures in SUP and SUB.