{"id":1375,"date":"2015-07-29T21:35:59","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T21:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lakeoconeedentalblog.com\/the-delicate-balance-of-oral-bacteria-2\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T14:36:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T14:36:58","slug":"the-delicate-balance-of-oral-bacteria-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakeoconeedental.com\/blog\/the-delicate-balance-of-oral-bacteria-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Delicate Balance of Oral Bacteria"},"content":{"rendered":"THE BACTERIA IN OUR BODIES<\/strong> vastly outnumber our human cells! And no matter how much we brush, floss, or rinse, our mouths will always be home to billions of microbes. However, that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing!\n\nDifferent types of bacteria keep others in check, and most aren\u2019t anything to worry about. But maintaining this balance requires some effort on your part<\/strong>\u2014to support the good bacteria and limit the growth of the bad.\n

Our Oral Ecosystems<\/strong><\/h3>\nRecent studies estimate that there are about 1000 species of oral bacteria, with 100 to 200 in any given individual. Microbes live off nutrients found in saliva, and on our gums, teeth and tongues. In a healthy mouth, beneficial bacteria fight disease-causing germs and fungi. They\u2019re actually our immune system\u2019s first responders!<\/strong> The constant flow of saliva also helps keep acid-producing bacteria from getting established. But even with all these defenses, harmful microbes can still upset the balance.\n

Bad Bacteria Causes Bad Breath<\/strong><\/h3>\nPoor oral hygiene and other conditions like dry mouth create an environment in which harmful bacteria thrive. An excess of sugar residue from candy, soda and other foods speeds up the already explosive microbe growth. The bacterial imbalance can result in chronic bad breath, canker sores, higher risk of illness, tooth decay and other problems.\n

5 Steps For A Healthy Oral Environment<\/strong><\/h3>\nBy following a good oral care routine, you can make sure the scale is always tipped in favor of the good bacteria<\/strong>! Create an oral environment that promotes beneficial microbes with these five steps:\n
    \n\t
  1. Brush your teeth twice a day<\/li>\n\t
  2. Floss daily, and scrape your tongue daily<\/li>\n\t
  3. Limit consumption of foods high in sugars, and rinse with water after eating<\/li>\n\t
  4. Avoid dry mouth by chewing sugar-free gum<\/li>\n\t
  5. Don\u2019t share toothbrushes or other items that touch the mouth<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nSince every oral environment is different, there may be other factors that are influencing your personal flora and fauna. As you come in for regular dental checkups, we can keep tabs on your unique oral profile<\/strong>. Together, we\u2019ll determine a personalized plan if anything needs to be changed to keep your mouth at its healthiest.\n

    We\u2019re honored to be your partner in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Thank you for being our valued patient!<\/h4>\n

    Top image by Flickr user Ekke<\/a><\/span> used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license<\/a><\/span>. Image cropped and modified from original.<\/h6>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"THE BACTERIA IN OUR BODIES<\/strong> vastly outnumber our human cells! However, that\u2019s not always a bad thing... (Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Delicate Balance of Oral Bacteria - Lake Oconee Dental Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lakeoconeedental.com\/blog\/the-delicate-balance-of-oral-bacteria-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Delicate Balance of Oral Bacteria - Lake Oconee Dental Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THE BACTERIA IN OUR BODIES vastly outnumber our human cells! 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