What types of bacteria live in the mouth?
-
Dr. De Vizio of Colgate answered:The human mouth contains many different types of bacteria. That's not all bad news: some bacteria in the mouth perform important functions that help keep your mouth healthy. Unfortunately, some bacteria also damage teeth. Two strains of bacteria found in the mouth are particularly destructive: Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli. When these and other types of bacteria are allowed to flourish, they produce acid that causes tooth decay. Brushing your teeth and flossing daily are essential to preventing damage to teeth by mouth bacteria.The human mouth contains many different types of bacteria. That's not all bad news: some bacteria in the mouth perform important functions that help keep your mouth healthy. Unfortunately, some bacteria also damage teeth. Two strains of bacteria... More -
Dr. Jonathan B. Levine answered:There are two types of bacteria. Aerobic bacteria live with oxygen, love the company of food particles in the mouth and feed on sugar. Anaerobic bacteria exist without oxygen and feed off dead skin cells and other bacteria. Both need to exist in your mouth, but when your oral environment gets out of balance, that's when the trouble starts. Anaerobic bacteria are not only responsible for creating bad breath, but they also create plaque, which leads to inflammation in the gums, which leads to both tooth loss and bone loss. And this is what we call periodontal disease.
There are two types of bacteria. Aerobic bacteria live with oxygen, love the company of food particles in the mouth and feed on sugar. Anaerobic bacteria exist without oxygen and feed off dead skin cells and other bacteria. Both need to... More
