I Tried The New 10-Minute Oral Genome Test That Could Flag Alzheimer’s Risk

A two-minute saliva test, results in ten, and a comprehensive break-down of how your results could impact your current and future health outcomes. From markers that could indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, to what your levels mean for your snacking habits, here’s what happened when I trialled the UK’s first GP-led oral microbiome screening.

Where?

I was screened using Oral Genome technology at Coyne Medical, the first GP clinic in Britain to offer oral microbiome testing as part of a doctor-led health assessment.

Why Oral Microbiome Testing?

It’s quite unusual for a health check to start with your mouth. But Coyne Medical, a doctor-led private practice in Fulham, has just become the first GP clinic in the UK to screen patients’ oral microbiome. The thinking behind it is that the gastrointestinal tract starts in the mouth, and often therefore, so does inflammation. Severe gum disease has been linked in research to raised risks of heart disease, diabetes and dementia. One bacterium in particular, Porphyromonas gingivalis, has been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, in the same amyloid plaques and tau tangles researchers study when trying to understand the disease. Therefore it’s no longer just a dental issue; it’s a medical one.

The Test

This test is safe for needle-phobes; no blood draw, just a saliva sample, taken chairside, that takes between two to five minutes from start to finish. The doctor I saw had a genuine interest and expertise in the links between oral health and overall wellbeing, which made the whole thing feel less like an add-on test and more like a real conversation about my health. 

She talked me through what the screening measures are: six biological markers tied to inflammation, bacterial imbalance and gum health, using technology that reads live bacterial activity rather than just bacterial DNA. In practice, that means it’s picking up what’s happening in your mouth right now, not just what’s been there at some point.

The Results

The results were back within ten minutes, reviewed with me by the doctor there and then. No waiting for a letter or a follow-up call and most importantly, no need to decode a report on my own. We went through what my results and the different levels meant together, and the advice was practical and achievable. For me, it was to ensure I eat breakfast every day (which I frequently skip), and to cut down on snacking (which I do because I skip breakfast). Both feed into how much your mouth’s bacteria get to “reset” versus staying constantly active, which can affect inflammation levels. Small, doable changes, but ones I’ve actually stuck to since, on the basis that my gums and oral microbiome (and potentially much more) will thank me for it.

The Big Picture

Dr Lucy Hooper, who co-founded Coyne Medical, has introduced the tests on the basis that medicine has spent years focused on blood tests and scans while overlooking one of the most accessible indicators of health. Her co-founder, Dr Hugh Coyne, says that patients want a fuller picture of future risk, not just symptom management after the fact. 

Is It Worth It?

The oral screening test is generally an add-on to give a fuller picture, rather than a standalone, but it can give meaningful learnings that can be applied as instant tweaks to your lifestyle to make improvements, or flag potential risks that you can act upon sooner rather than later. 

How?

Oral Genome screening is available at Coyne Medical as an add-on to GP consultations and health assessments from £150, and comes included in the flagship Ultimate Health Screening. 

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coynemedical.com | Oral Genome screening from £150