<![CDATA[Abstrak Peran mikrobioma oral dalam patofisiologi stunting masih jarang dieksplorasi, meskipun bukti terbaru menunjukkan bahwa rongga mulut merupakan kompartemen biologis penting dalam regulasi pertumbuhan anak. Tinjauan naratif ini bertujuan mengevaluasi secara komprehensif literatur mengenai pemanfaatan metagenomik dan metabarkoding untuk memetakan virulensi fungsional mikrobioma oral pada anak stunting, dengan fokus khusus pada protein FimA dari Porphyromonas gingivalis dan Major Surface Protein (Msp) dari Treponema denticola. Artikel ilmiah yang dikaji mencakup topik stunting, sumbu oral–gut, environmental enteric dysfunction, serta studi mikrobioma oral berbasis omics pada populasi anak, termasuk kompartemen saliva dan plak supragingiva. Sintesis literatur menunjukkan bahwa stunting berkaitan dengan dekompartementalisasi saluran cerna, penurunan laju alir dan kapasitas buffer saliva, serta restrukturisasi jaringan mikroba oral yang ditandai oleh dominasi patobiont anaerob. Dalam kondisi disbiosis, periodontopatogen seperti P. gingivalis dan T. denticola berperan sebagai keystone hubs yang memperkuat patogenisitas biofilm melalui ekspresi FimA dan Msp, sehingga berkontribusi terhadap inflamasi sistemik derajat rendah dan potensi gangguan pertumbuhan linier pada anak. Tinjauan ini juga menyoroti kesenjangan riset berupa minimnya studi yang mengintegrasikan data metagenomik fungsional, kuantifikasi protein virulensi, dan parameter klinis rongga mulut ke dalam satu model risiko yang utuh. Oleh karena itu, kajian ini merekomendasikan pengembangan indeks virulensi mikrobioma oral sebagai biomarker non‑invasif risiko stunting serta integrasi kesehatan gigi dan mulut dalam strategi promotif‑preventif nasional untuk penanggulangan stunting di Indonesia. Kata Kunci: Anak; Metagenomics; Microbiome; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Stunting; Treponema denticola Abstract The role of the oral microbiome in the pathophysiology of childhood stunting remains underexplored, although emerging evidence indicates that the oral cavity is a key biological compartment in growth regulation. This narrative review aims to comprehensively evaluate the literature on the use of metagenomics and metabarcoding to map functional virulence within the oral microbiome of stunted children, with a specific focus on FimA from Porphyromonas gingivalis and Major Surface Protein (Msp) from Treponema denticola. Included articles covered stunting, the oral–gut axis, environmental enteric dysfunction, and omics‑based oral microbiome studies in pediatric populations, encompassing saliva and supragingival dental plaque niches. Synthesized findings indicate that stunting is associated with gastrointestinal decompartmentalization, reduced salivary flow rate and buffering capacity, and reconfigured oral microbial networks dominated by anaerobic pathobionts. Under dysbiotic conditions, periodontal pathogens such as P. gingivalis and T. denticola act as keystone hubs that reinforce biofilm pathogenicity through FimA and Msp expression, thereby contributing to low‑grade systemic inflammation and potential impairment of linear growth. This review further highlights a major research gap: the scarcity of studies integrating functional metagenomic data, quantitative virulence protein measurements, and clinical oral parameters into a unified predictive risk model. Accordingly, it recommends empirical studies combining metagenomics/metabarcoding with functional quantitative PCR on saliva and supragingival plaque, and the development of an oral microbiome virulence index as a non‑invasive biomarker for stunting risk. Overall, the article underscores the urgency of incorporating oral and dental health into national promotive‑preventive strategies for stunting reduction in Indonesia. Keywords: Child; Metagenomics; Microbiome; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Stunting; Treponema denticola]]>
