{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T23:20:40Z","timestamp":1789168840528,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,31]],"date-time":"2026-05-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780185600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This non-randomized, open-labelled, controlled pilot trial investigated the impact of stunting on oral health and the oral microbiome, and evaluated the effect of 14-day probiotic or essential oil mouthwash interventions in children aged 8\u201312 years. Thirty-six participants (18 stunted, 18 non-stunted) were randomized into three parallel arms: probiotic lozenges (Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 + ATCC PTA 5289), essential oil mouthwash, or water control. D-25OH level was assessed with ELISA, OHI-S, and PBI were examined, and oral microbiome was analyzed using 16S metagenomic sequencing. Stunted children demonstrated significantly higher gingival inflammation (PBI, F = 10.57, p = 0.002), reduced microbial alpha diversity, reductions in commensal Streptococcus spp., and increases in pathobionts, including Parvimonas micra, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Tannerella forsythia. Beta-diversity analysis revealed distinct microbial communities (p = 0.001), with network analysis identifying these anaerobes as keystone hubs in stunted individuals. Salivary vitamin D and oral hygiene indices (OHI-S) also differed by stunting status. Fourteen-day interventions produced only modest, non-significant improvements in clinical indices and failed to induce significant shifts in microbial diversity or composition. These findings indicate that nutritional stunting is independently associated with oral dysbiosis and gingival inflammation. Short-term antiseptic interventions appear insufficient to reverse established microbial shifts, highlighting the need for sustained, integrated nutritional\u2014oral health strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens15060591","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T02:37:26Z","timestamp":1780454246000},"page":"591","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Nutritional Stunting Is Linked to Reduced Oral Microbiome Stability and Reconfigured Microbial Networks in Children: A Pilot Intervention Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1435-2392","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Armelia Sari","family":"Widyarman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta 11440, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nadeeka S.","family":"Udawatte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Swiluva Sigalovada Swilly Sumardy","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tzu Chi School, Jakarta 14470, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9310-9659","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Citra Fragrantia","family":"Theodorea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mario","family":"Richi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MiCORE Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta 11440, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wiwiek","family":"Poedjiastoeti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta 11440, Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaminda Jayampath","family":"Seneviratne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mulyani, A.T., Khairinisa, M.A., Khatib, A., and Chaerunisaa, A.Y. 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