Your Mouth is Full of Germs

You might think that you have the cleanest mouth on the block; after all, you brush your teeth twice a day. But, the truth is there are millions of germs that could be taking up residence in your mouth that you do not even know about. These tiny germs are not visible and you probably cannot even feel them, but they are there, ready to wreak havoc on your oral health. Understanding what may be living in your mouth could prompt you to take better care of your oral health as well as keep up with your biannual dental cleanings.

Germs Love Your Mouth

The unfortunate truth is that germs love your mouth because it is the perfect environment for them to thrive. The nooks and crannies of your enamel; the dark corners of your gums; and the warm temperature of your mouth is the perfect breeding ground for millions of different types of germs. When you add to that the habit of eating large amounts of sugar or refined carbohydrates, you have created the perfect environment for an unhealthy mouth and you are probably not even aware of it.

The Most Common Bacteria

Of the thousands of germs that can reside in your mouth, there are two that are the most common and cause the most damage: streptococcus mutans and porphyromonas gingivalis.

Streptococcus mutans is the germ that is most responsible for tooth decay in your mouth. The germ resides in most everyone’s mouth, but does not cause decay in every mouth. What causes the decay are the habits that you have. If you have a diet that is filled with sugar and carbs, then you are helping the streptococcus mutans to multiply and eat away at your enamel. The bacteria pairs up with the sugars to create an acid which is responsible for eating away at the enamel of your teeth and are what is responsible for tooth decay.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is not in every mouth, but is generally found in unhealthy mouths that have periodontitis. This “bad” bacteria is only removable by a professional cleaning in our office, but the good news is that you can prevent it from becoming present in the first place by having proper oral health care habits. Again, watching your diet to ensure that it is not filled with sugar and refined carbs is the first place to start as what you put in your mouth is what causes the start of the growth of bacteria. In addition, having proper oral health care habits is the second line of defense. Brushing and flossing your teeth at regular intervals and coming in for regular checkups is the only way to ensure that this bacteria does not take over your mouth and cause advanced gum disease.

While it is true that there are thousands of germs that can take over your mouth, not all of them are going to occur in every mouth. The better care you take care of your mouth and the better consistency you have with keeping up with professional dental cleanings, the better chance you have of keeping a clean mouth. Don’t be fooled by mouthwashes that promise to kill bacteria or the fact that brushing alone will keep your mouth healthy. You need to keep up with healthy eating habits, flossing in addition to brushing, and having a professional cleaning at least twice a year. This way we can detect any bacteria early on and remove it so that you can ensure yourself that you have optimal oral health.

Please call us today for your appointment to make sure that your mouth is bacteria free!