Matters Microbial #114: A Tongue-n-Cheek Look at the Oral Microbiome October 31, 2025

Today Dr. Jessica Mark Welch, Professor at the ADA Forsyth Institute joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss the complex and interactive microbial communities living unseen within our mouths . . . and what those communities can tell us.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Jessica Mark Welch

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Links for this episode

• Here is a link to the very funny Carisa Hendrix's character "Lucy Darling." I think I made a #Micronaut out of her!
• A link to the wonderful microbiological art of Dr. Lizah van der Aart.
• An overview of FISH technology for visualizing DNA and microbes.
• A reference to R2A medium which helps grow water associated microbes.
• The anatomy of the human tongue.
• The infamous and very interesting article describing how microbes are transmitted between partners via kissing.
• An overview of the oral microbiome.
• The relationship between oral microbiota and blood pressure.
• An article by Dr. Mark Welch and colleagues describing a method for visualizing oral microbial communities.
• An article by Dr. Mark Welch and colleagues about how her techniques can study the kelp microbiome microbiogeography.
• An article by Dr. Mark Welch and colleagues about the oral microbiome.
• An article by Dr. Mark Welch and colleagues about the unusual "corncob" microbes to be found on the human tongue.
• An article by Dr. Jo Handelsman and colleagues describing the THOR soil community, in which even a few members create very diverse responses to the environment.
• An article by Dr. Mark Welch and colleagues about the role of mucus in the oral microbiome.
• An overview of the Forsyth Institute and its mission.
• The Human Oral Microbiome Database website.
• The website for Dr. Mark Welch.
• A fun video snippet with Dr. Mark Welch.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

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