Interrelationship between oral and colon diseases: a systematic review
Authors: Kazachenko E. V. , Orekhova L. Yu. , Kuchumova E. D. , Kudryavtseva T. V. , Dudka V. V. , Shayda L. P. , Nechai E. Yu. 
Published: February 2025

Relevance. Recent studies from researchers worldwide have confirmed that the coexistence of dental and intestinal diseases disrupts the structural and functional regulation within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including the oral environment. Оbjective. To analyze data from domestic and international scientific literature on the oral health conditions in relation to colon diseases.

Materials and methods. A systematic search and analysis of domestic and international literature were conducted, with 89% of the selected studies published within the last 10 years. The search utilized electronic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and eLibrary. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies involving patients with GIT diseases, including colon disorders (constipation, hemorrhoidal disease, colitis, diverticulosis, colon polyps, and colon cancer), where the oral environment or the maxillofacial region was examined in relation to at least one of these conditions. A total of 2,473 scientific sources were initially identified. After removing duplicates and reviewing titles and abstracts, 985 studies were deemed eligible for further analysis. Ultimately, 59 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review, providing data for quantitative comparisons.

Results. The analysis revealed a negative correlation between the level of C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen and alveolar bone resorption, as measured by Fuchs' bone index (r = -0.633; p < 0.05). Additionally, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between reduced osteocalcin levels in salivary fluid and disease severity (r = 0.589; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that salivary fluid analysis in patients with ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome may indicate the presence of periodontal inflammatory disease. There is a growing consensus among researchers that autoimmune reactions triggered by inflammatory processes in the mucosa of different GIT sections negatively affect oral tissues. For example, a 2019 study by a Japanese research group utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the salivary microbiome. The study found significantly increased salivary bacterial diversity in patients with GIT cancer compared to the control group: operational taxonomic units (OTU), P = 0.02; Shannon index, P < 0.01; Chao1 index, P = 0.04.

Conclusion. The current body of global scientific literature highlights pathological changes in oral tissues associated with colon diseases, which could aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of colorectal disease activity. This growing interest underscores the importance of further research into the interconnection between colon diseases and oral health. However, the topic remains underexplored, with only a limited number of studies available. Notably, there are few reports on pathological oral changes in patients with hemorrhoidal disease, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive and in-depth investigations.