How Probiotics Could Help You Ward Off Gum Disease

There are believed to be about 700 different species of microbes living in your mouth at any given time, including bacteria, fungus, and others. While some can be dangerous to your oral and overall health, others are considered beneficial. In fact, when they’re in the correct balance, the good ones can often help the prevent the bad ones from causing problems.

You may have read reports in the news in recent years about how good bacteria called probiotics can help your gut health and even prevent gum disease. Here’s what you need to know about this fascinating connection!

Causes of Bacterial Imbalances

While the exact cause of a bacterial imbalance in the mouth varies from patient to patient, typically it occurs when:

• The patient has poor oral hygiene and does not brush or floss their teeth frequently enough, allowing the bad bacteria to proliferate.
• The patient has a weakened immune system.
• The patient has a genetic predisposition to have fewer good bacteria or more bad bacteria.
• The patient has dry mouth due to medications such as decongestants or pain relievers.

Preventing Gum Disease with Probiotics

To restore the balance between good and bad bacteria in your body, you can add a probiotic called lactobacilli to your diet. It can be found in a variety of products such as supplements and foods including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and even sourdough bread. While these won’t cure periodontal disease, they can help reduce the bad bacteria responsible for gum disease and can even help reverse early stages of gingivitis.

Though probiotics can help keep your good bacteria in balance and protect your smile, remember that this doesn’t replace regular oral hygiene care such as brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and visiting your dentist every six months for your biannual exam and cleaning appointments.

About Our Practice

At Waterbury Smiles, our trio of caring and skilled dentists wants to ensure that you and your family have a lifetime of healthy smiles. We are proud to offer a variety of beneficial dental treatments, including tooth-saving periodontal therapy. If you’ve noticed gum inflammation, tenderness, or redness and are concerned that it could be periodontal disease, please schedule an appointment with us today by visiting our website or calling our friendly office at 203-575-9097.