ORAL MICROBIOMES
The gut microbiome dominates the headlines, but it’s not the only collection of tiny organisms that live inside you and affect your health. The oral microbiome — which populates the mouth and connects with the sinuses, larynx, trachea, and lungs — harbors more than 700 species of bacteria. How do those bacteria get there, what do they do, and why should you be glad they mostly survived COVID-19?
Where do the bacteria in the oral microbiome originate? Many of the organisms have been with you since you were a young child. Food is a factor, but there are many others: the people you kiss, the stuff you touch before bringing your hand to your mouth, and the strains that grow on your old lip gloss. Nearly everything that enters your mouth has bacteria.
Why don’t toothpaste and mouthwash kill the oral microbiome? You can kill surface bacteria with a thorough brush and gargle, but bacteria lodged deep in the gums, tongue and other soft tissue survive to replace them, which is why you go to bed minty and wake up with morning breath. And that’s OK. Those good bacteria are vital to maintaining oral health and for the health of the lungs.
How does that bacteria get from the mouth to the lungs? You inhale small amounts of saliva throughout your day. While this sounds unpleasant, it isn’t necessarily bad. While we don’t fully understand the impact on health, we do know the bacteria that enter your lungs impact your immune system, sometimes detrimentally but sometimes beneficially.
If you, your family, or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda,
39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360.