Increase The Good Bacteria in Your Mouth With Dental Probiotics

Did you know there are over 700 species of both good and bad bacteria that populate our mouths?

Our mouths have a diverse ecosystem of bacteria in it. The key to a healthy mouth is maintaining the right balance of bacteria where the “good” bacteria outnumber the “bad” bacteria. The bad bacteria are largely responsible for creating an acidic environment where they thrive. When your mouth becomes very acidic, demineralization, gum inflammation and cavities occur and when there is an overgrowth of said bad bacteria, plaque and biofilm begin to form.

A healthy population of good bacteria is the key to creating a microbiome that eliminates bad breath, reduces cavities and fights gum inflammation.

BAD BACTERIA

Bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, and hundreds of other species are constantly regenerating and populating the micro crevasses on your teeth and gums. They create a film on your teeth that leads to plaque and tartar. These bad bacteria consume sugar from your food and produce waste in the form of acid and volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). The acid creates cavities and the VSCs cause bad breath.

Lack of brushing, poor quality foods/high sugar, lack of water, and dry mouth can lead to an over-population of bad bacteria.

GOOD BACTERIA

Bacteria such as lactobacillus plantarum, streptococcus salivarius, and others fight the bad bacteria. They keep the bad bacteria population under control and keep the oral microbiome in a healthy state.

When you brush with toothpaste or rinse with an alcohol-based mouthwash, you are essentially sterilizing your mouth and that sometimes this kills both good AND bad bacteria.

Unfortunately, the bad bacteria tends to grow back fast and often over-populate your mouth before the good bacteria has time to fight. (This is why we often hear stories of people who regularly use mouthwash but still have bad breath)

HOW DO YOU IMPROVE your ORAL MICROBIOME?

Dental probiotics are chewable tablets with concentrated amounts of the healthy bacteria that your mouth needs. It is recommended to be chewed once a day before bed (after brushing, flossing and rinsing). The tablets populate your mouth with good bacteria and leaves less opportunity for the bad bacteria to take hold.

By repeating this process on a daily basis, studies have shown that you can truly change the microbiome of your mouth and increase the population of good bacteria while subsequently reducing the population of bad bacteria.

This process is often referred to as Microbiome Rejevenation Therapy or Bacterial Replacement Therapy.

Studies have shown that clinical grade dental probiotics reduce plaque, cavities, gum inflammation and bad breath over brushing and flossing alone. Further, they help improve the upper respiratory immunity in both children and adults.

Some great dental probiotic options are: