Integrated salivary microbiome and metabolome profiling reveals ecological and functional alterations in severe early childhood caries

Our findings demonstrate distinct ecological and functional signatures in the salivary microbiome and metabolome associated with S-ECC. The identified microbial and metabolic alterations, particularly in amino acid metabolism, provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of S-ECC and highlight potential biomarkers for early detection and targeted intervention. However, the cross-sectional design and single time-point saliva collection limit the ability to assess longitudinal dynamics. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to track microbial and metabolomic changes during disease progression and intervention.