# Environmental and Genetic Factors Contributing to the Development of the Early-Life Oral Microbiome and its Influence on Early Childhood Caries

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $35,128

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Caries that occur in the primary dentition of children aged under 6 years, or early childhood
caries (ECC), affect more than one-fifth of US children aged 2-5. ECC is a multifactorial
disease: the oral microbiome, host behaviors and genetic factors influence caries risk.
Preventing ECC can improve oral and systemic health and reduce healthcare burden across the
life course. By better understanding the causal mechanisms of ECC we may be able to improve
upon prevention and intervention efforts. We will use already collected human genotypes,
salivary and dental plaque microbiome, and sociodemographic and behavioral data from
children participating in the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia cohort 2 to:
 1) compare data reduction methods for characterizing the developing salivary microbiome,
 2) assess the relationships between early-life exposures, the early-life oral microbiome and
ECC, and
3) test for effect modification of the oral microbiomes’ relationship with ECC by host genetic
caries risk.
The proposed study has the potential to identify environmental and microbial factors which
encourage or discourage the development of a cariogenic oral microbiome and to identify
human genetic subpopulations for whom interventions on the oral microbiome may be
especially effective.
With this research proposal and training plan the applicant will gain skills in longitudinal analysis
of high-dimensional data, processing of microbial and human genetic data and gain expertise in
the multifactorial etiology of dental caries. The proposed training will support the applicant’s
long-term goal of becoming an independent researcher focusing on the interplay between
microbial, behavioral and human genetic factors in the development of oral disease.
This project is consistent with NIDCR 2030 goals of Precision Health, Autotherapies and Oral
Health + Overall Health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10065792
- **Project number:** 1F31DE029992-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Freida Anne Blostein
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $35,128
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10065792

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10065792, Environmental and Genetic Factors Contributing to the Development of the Early-Life Oral Microbiome and its Influence on Early Childhood Caries (1F31DE029992-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10065792. Licensed CC0.

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