[david_l_lin]

The associations between gut microbes and disease may be valid, but simply not actionable. The gut has incredible size, and is thousands of niches rather than a bag of marbles.

The oral microbiome, however, is an entirely different story. Decades of research show causal links between oral bacteria and disease. And it’s readily accessible so it can be easily tested and modulated.

Let’s stop using “microbiome” to describe the gut only. The gut microbiome may be full of overhyped studies, but the oral microbiome or the skin microbiome are entirely different stories.