Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41265168›Full record

ArticleInternational dental journal2026

Biological Validation of the PSC-MCAT: Analyzing Dental Plaque Microbiota Across Caries Risk Levels in Preschoolers.

Yiling Jiang, Yulu Xie, Fanghong Liu, Yu Qin, Yishan Zhang, Luoyan Tang, Xiaohua Dong, Ling Li, Shaoyong Chen, Bo Yuan and 2 more

Abstract readValidation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International dental journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Yiling JiangCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China; The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yulu XieCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Fanghong LiuCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Yu QinCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Yishan ZhangCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Luoyan TangCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Xiaohua DongCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Ling LiCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Shaoyong ChenCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Bo YuanDepartment of Stomatology, Longhua People's Hospital, Longhua Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Longhua District Key Laboratory of Oral Microecology Medical Translation, Shenzhen, China; College of General Practice, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Stomatology School of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuehua YouDepartment of Stomatology, Longhua People's Hospital, Longhua Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Longhua District Key Laboratory of Oral Microecology Medical Translation, Shenzhen, China; College of General Practice, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Stomatology School of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: ally_you@foxmail.com.
Rongmin QiuCollege & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Craniofacial Deformity, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Disease Treatment, Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Oral Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Stomatological Equipment, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China. Electronic address: rongminqiu@hotmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAlthough Caries Risk Assessment (CRA) tools are widely recognised in preventive dentistry for predicting dental caries risk in children, there is a notable lack of studies addressing CRA within the Chinese population. This study aimed to evaluate the biological validity of the modified caries-risk assessment tool for preschool children (PSC-MCAT) by analysing the oral microbiome of children stratified by caries risk. MATERIALS AND

methodsA comprehensive analysis of the oral microbiome was conducted on 72 preschool children categorised into low- (L), moderate- (M), and high-risk (H) groups based on the PSC-MCAT criteria. Next-generation sequencing was employed to assess microbial diversity and structure. Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences among the risk groups.

resultsThe analysis revealed statistically significant differences in microbial diversity and structure among the caries risk groups (P < .05). Specific caries risk biomarkers, including Scardovia, Prevotella, and Megasphaera, were significantly enriched in the H group (P < .05). Co-occurrence network analysis showed that the M group exhibited a more complex microbial network compared to the H group, while the L group displayed sparse ecological interactions. KEGG pathway analysis identified 8 differentially abundant metabolic pathways among the risk groups. Furthermore, certain biomarkers in the H group, such as Scardovia and Megasphaera, were associated with D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolic pathways (P < .05) and were closely linked to children's oral health behaviours, including sweet food intake frequency and regular fluoride application (P < .05).

conclusionThis study provides the first biological validation of the PSC-MCAT's risk stratification capacity, establishing a mechanistic link between clinical risk tiers and the dynamics of acidogenic pathobionts as well as host-microbe metabolic interactions. These findings offer valuable insights for prognostic predictions and targeted caries management strategies.

Indexed as

Dental CariesDental PlaqueMicrobiotaBiomarkersChild, PreschoolChinaDental Caries SusceptibilityFemaleHumansMaleRisk AssessmentBiomarkers16S rRNABiomarkersCariesEarly childhoodMicrobiotaRisk assessment

Identifiers

PMID41265168
PMCPMC12671355

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