Hidden Villages: How Many Bacteria Are Living in Your Mouth?

If you’re someone who’s conscious about your health, you might have heard recently about the importance of gut microbiomes. As it turns out, the body nurtures a colony of bacteria in the gut, and these are important for everything from digestion to mood.

You might wonder whether the same is true for your mouth, and you’d be on to something there. In dentistry, we talk a lot about bad bacteria that can cause tooth decay and cavities, but these are far from the only microbes that live in our mouth. Here’s what you should know about bacteria, how they factor into oral health, and what you can do to make sure that your teeth are in the best condition possible.

How Many Bacteria Are In The Mouth?

 If you’re wondering why bacteria are the center of discussion and health circles these days, it’s because recent developments in sequencing and bioinformatic technology have made it possible to identify different strains of bacteria much more easily. This provides us with new insights as to how many bacteria are actually in the body, how they grow, and where they live.

According to rough estimates, there are about 20 billion individual microbes that live in the mouth. Moreover, recent research suggests that different types of bacteria are localized to specific areas of the mouth. Some live on the cheeks, others on the tongue, and others on the surface of the teeth. Binding together with other members of their species. There’s even a genetic component, which partially explains why tooth decay runs in families.

What To Do About Bad Bacteria

Obviously, many of these bacteria that live in our mouths are benign. They don’t cause any problems or contribute to disease. However, there are many strains of bacteria in the mouth that consume sugars and secrete acids. These acids erode the enamel and lead to cavities.

These bacteria tend to Cluster into plaque formations on the teeth. Which is part of why daily dental hygiene, brushing, flossing and using mouthwash to break up these plaque deposits is so important. If you’re interested in protecting your teeth from decay, sticking to solid daily dental hygiene is the best thing you can do.

And of course, it’s important to talk to your dentist at a biannual checkup and cleaning. They’ll be able to remove bacteria from areas of the mouth that you can’t on your own and detect oral health problems before they start to become serious.

About Our Practice

At Lancaster Family Smiles, we believe that dentistry is more than just fillings and root canals. Everyone on our team has a curiosity that drives them to learn more about the field. We want our patients to feel the same thing whenever they come to our office, which is why we’re always so excited about the prospect of helping our patients learn more about their oral health. For us, talking to our patients and getting to know them is just as important as any treatment that we would provide.

If you have any questions about your oral health, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (469) 729-7707.