Good bugs, bad bugs and your oral health
From cheese to yoghurt, to your home brewed kombucha, we consume bacteria and bugs every day and have for thousands of years. A healthy and balanced microflora is important for our health and wellbeing. Our bodies have an intimate interdependence with bacteria and other microorganisms in what is known as the ‘human microbiome’.
‘The human microbiome a community of symbiotic (good), commensal (neutral) and pathogenic (bad) microorganisms that literally share our body space’.
That’s right! At this very moment, you’re living with trillions of bacteria. They’re on your skin, in your stomach and of course, in your mouth. Some even estimate that these friendly foreigners outnumber even our own human cells! But if we’re covered in bacteria, many of which can cause disease, how does our body stay healthy? Put simply, a dynamic balance of good and bad bacteria living in harmony with one another and the host (you). A mutually beneficial relationship in which they help us digest food and fight infection and in return, we look after them.
The mouth is no exception, the oral cavity has the second largest and diverse colony of bacteria with over 700 species. Your saliva is full of bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa and your cheeks and tongue would harbour billions of bugs at any given time. So do we aim to get rid of all this bacteria? Of course not, this smorgasbord of microorganisms is balanced in just the right amounts to provide great benefits to your health and well-being.
“The oral cavity has the second largest and diverse colony of bacteria with over 700 species”
-Journal of maxillofacial pathology (2019)
So how do they benefit us?
Benefits proved by these microorganisms include resistance to infections and fine-tuning your immune systems. The microbiome of the digestive tract plays a crucial role in your metabolism, allowing us to draw energy and nutrients from food and regulates fat storage and hormone levels. Another potential effect of the oral microbiome is the regulation of blood pressure.
What happens if oral flora become unbalanced?
The imbalance of microflora contributes to oral diseases such as tooth decay, gum disease, other oral diseases and stomach and nervous system diseases. This is can occur when specific bacteria called ‘keystone pathogens’ are able to rise up within the community and can create a shift in the nature of the microbial community within your mouth. It can be thought of like a peaceful protest turning into a riot if it’s escalated by one or two trouble-makers.
How can we ensure this doesn’t happen?
Sticking with the analogy, riot police can’t arrest everybody at the protest. Instead, their aim is to target specific trouble-makers and attempt to disperse the crowds.
Brushing your teeth acts to disrupt the bacteria within your saliva and on your teeth. If they’re not disrupted regularly, they form into dangerous communities within mature plaque. The deeper layers of plaque tend to breed bad, disease-causing bacteria. The best way to prevent this from happening is to brush the plaque away and continue to disrupt it with a soft bristle toothbrush twice a day!
These ‘keystone pathogens’ are present even in healthy patients, they only cause dental diseases if they’re provided with an environment that allows them to rise above the rest of your good bacteria. The frequent intake of sugar or reductions in saliva flow leads to an acidic oral environment. This will hinder the growth of good bacteria and grow acid-producing bacteria, causing tooth decay. So your home brewed kombucha may be good for your gut but it can be very acidic and may not encourage the breeding of good bacteria in your mouth.