Did you know that the American Dental Association recommends brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day to prevent mouth germs and oral health diseases? Not enough people keep their mouth clean as they should, which is why tooth decay and gum disease is so common among both children and adults. A clean mouth is so important every day because bacteria in your mouth mix with food particles to create plaque. That plaque sticks to your teeth and eats away at them. Mouth germs also cause bad breath, affect your risk for infections and mouth sores. Find out what bacteria exists in your mouth, how you can reduce the harmful kind, and what you can do now to have a clean mouth!

Bacteria in Your Mouth

At this very moment, you have many types of bacteria floating around in your mouth. Some of that bacteria is good, and some of that bacteria cause oral health problems. Scientists have found over 700 different types of bacteria that have been detected in the human mouth. However, most people only have between 34 and 72 different types of bacteria at any given time. You may think that is a ton of bacteria, and that it’s a bad thing, but in most cases, it’s actually not. Your body does many good things for itself through the use of bacteria.

For example, bacteria in your stomach help break down food for digestion. However, that process starts in the mouth when you are chewing up food into smaller pieces. Bacteria in your saliva helps break down food even further so you can swallow it and begin the process of digestion. The bacteria that helps in digestion are known as “probiotics” and are found in many yogurts that can help you be healthier. However, there are also many “bad” bacteria that contribute to tooth decay, gum disease and health problems. The goal is to reduce the bad kind of bacteria to have a healthy, clean mouth and a healthy body.

Oral Health and Overall Health

Many studies find that there is a major connection between your oral healthy and your overall health. If you make an effort to have a clean mouth, odds are that you are making efforts to have a healthy body as well. If you have a clean mouth, you may also be reducing health problems. When people don’t take care of their oral health, they begin to have problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. Many people can also get oral cancer if they aren’t seeing the dentist often enough to catch it, which can lead to death.

Small infections that start from tooth decay can turn into major infections that enter your bloodstream and cause problems all over your body. Many chronic health problems—such as diabetes—also cause oral health problems if they are not controlled. Diabetes and AIDs are two such conditions that lower your body’s resistance to infection, which can increase your risk for decay and disease in your mouth. Your oral health can affect your overall health and vice versa.

Push Out Plaque

Plaque is a major problem when it comes to having oral health problems. Many people don’t even think about plaque as an issue, which may be because it is clear and unnoticeable unless you’re looking for it. When you eat, plaque is formed when sugars in your food mix with bacteria in your mouth. Even though your food can be colorful, it will still create an acidic, clear film that sticks to your tooth enamel. Plaque coats your teeth every time you eat and even when you drink. It also sits along your gum line, irritating your gums while eroding your tooth enamel. This is how gum disease and tooth decay both happen.

Acid erodes your teeth, eventually making cracks for bacteria and plaque to get inside. This is how a small cavity turns into severe tooth decay. Plaque that lines your gums irritates them, causing them to become red and swollen. Over time, your gums recede, turn red, bleed easily and your teeth can even fall out. The goal is to push out plaque before it can harm your teeth. You do this by cleaning your teeth and mouth every day, several times a day. If you skip a day, that gives plaque an entire day to hurt your teeth. The ADA recommends brushing at least twice a day to remove plaque. Brush after every meal if you want to remove even more plaque.

Oral Hygiene Is Easy

As we mentioned, brushing is your best defense against plaque, which causes oral health problems, and possibly overall health problems. Don’t forget the importance of flossing, as you can still get decay between your teeth if you’re not cleaning those spaces. If you have bad breath, the problem is probably mouth bacteria that is causing tooth decay and gum disease. Up your game with brushing and flossing and add an antibacterial mouthwash to your routine. Mouthwash can kill many harmful bacteria and will help you have a clean mouth. If you don’t know how you should change your oral hygiene routine, or how you can get a clean mouth, contact us at (303) 731-7755 for help. At Mountain Aire Dentistry, we can help you have a clean mouth and a healthy smile for life!