Helicobacter pylori
is an important human
pathogen that causes chronic gastritis and is associated with the development of peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancies. The oral cavity
has been implicated as a potential
H. pylori reservoir and may therefore be involved in the reinfection of the stomach, which can
sometimes occur following treatment of an
H. pylori infection. The objectives of this paper were (i) to determine the presence of
H. pylori in the oral cavity and (ii) to examine the relationship between oral
H. pylori and subsequent gastritis. Gastric biopsies,
saliva samples and dental plaques were obtained from 78 dyspeptic adults. DNA was extracted and evaluated for the presence of
H. pylori
using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting methods. Persons with gastritis were frequently positive for
H. pylori in their
stomachs (p < 0.0001) and there was a statistically significant correlation between the presence of
H. pylori in gastric biopsies
and the oral cavity (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest a relationship between gastric infection and the presence of this bacterium
in the oral cavity. Despite this,
H. pylori were present in the oral cavity with variable distribution between saliva and dental
plaques, suggesting the existence of a reservoir for the species and a potential association with gastric reinfection.
