For thousands of years, oral fungal infections have existed in human history.Hippocrates, who lived between 460 and 370 BCE, was the first person to report occurrences of oral aphthae that could have been oral candidiasis. While infections like cryptococcosis, aspergillosis, and mucormycosis are relatively rare in the mouth, oral candidiasis became widely recognized during the AIDS epidemic. It was a major opportunistic infection, signaling the progression from HIV to AIDS. This highlighted the vital role of our immune system in preventing fungal infections. Over time, research has revealed that our oral immune defenses respond to fungal infections in unique ways. Scientists now understand that these infections don’t just result from interactions between the host and the fungus, but they are also influenced by other microbes in the mouth. Recent findings suggest that different microorganisms communicate with each other, affecting how infections develop and progress. In the past decade, there have been exciting breakthroughs in analyzing the oral microbiome. We can now study fungi, bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and even viruses like SARS-CoV-2 more precisely than ever before. At the same time, we can measure immune responses, including immune cells, cytokines, and microbial signals, giving us a more complete picture of oral health. With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, there’s a real opportunity to refine our understanding of oral fungal infections. By combining all this knowledge, we can improve diagnostics, predict who may be more vulnerable, and ultimately help people stay healthier by detecting infections earlier.
