Who’s that living in your mouth?

You may think that the only people who are intimately acquainted with the insides of your mouth are yourself and your dentist in Sydney CBD, but think again. Your mouth does not just contain your teeth, gums, tongue and tonsils. It is also home billions of bacteria, about 6 billion to be precise. All living together in what scientists refer to as the human oral microbiome.

Just like any ecosystem, these bacteria are not all the same species. Some just hang out there in your mouth being benign, even beneficial. Some hang out but they wreak havoc. They may not mean to, but they do.

Who’s who in your oral microbiome

Probably the bacterium you know most about is Streptococcus mutans. This is the bad boy responsible for your tooth decay and gum disease. It doesn’t mean to harm you, but it does. The good news is that how much damage this little bacterium causes is up to you. Streptococcus mutans feeds on starches and sugars, so every time you have a beer or a doughnut, it goes into a feeding frenzy. It also reproduces like mad, and you can feel the build-up of plaque on your teeth. The damage comes when this invisible monster starts giving off acids. They attack your tooth enamel, and also your gums. If you want to avoid decay and gum disease, cut down on sugars and carbs, and make sure you brush twice a day, floss every day and visit the dentist in Sydney CBD for a check-up.

At Spa Dental Sydney CBD, we can check for the early signs of tooth decay and gum disease, or any other issues and deal with them before they become major problems.

There are good guys too

Don’t get into a panic and start to worry that your mouth is a teeming swamp of awful bacteria. There are also benign bacteria, and another 700 strains of totally harmless bacteria, living in your mouth. In fact, your mouth can’t do without them. That’s just being human, we are a walking collection of ecosystems. Remember to make your oral ecosystem healthy with regular check-ups with the dentist in Sydney CBD.