A strength of this study was the use of a microarray to detect multiple species and taxon-specific qPCR to improve sensitivity and quantitation of high-interest species. Including analyses for both WSL and gingivitis clarified clinical associations for some species. Multivariate modeling allowed for visualization of the differences between clinical groups. Limitations of this study include the cross-sectional design, so we could not determine whether the microbiota changed with or could predict development of WSL. Further, the use of a defined probe set may not have adequately detected key species in WSL ecology.
Further