{"id":609,"date":"2022-09-26T01:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T01:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waterburysmiles.com\/blog\/?p=609"},"modified":"2022-09-27T01:13:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-27T01:13:33","slug":"oral-bacteria-how-many-bacteria-are-in-your-mouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waterburysmiles.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/oral-bacteria-how-many-bacteria-are-in-your-mouth\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Oral Bacteria Live in Your Mouth?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"dentist<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bacteria are everywhere. They\u2019re in food, in plants, and in different parts of the body. As abundant as they are, many people are unaware that not all bacteria are bad. In fact, you naturally have many kinds of bacteria in your mouth. Some can cause cavities, but some can help keep your body healthy. Read on to learn about how many oral bacteria the average person has in their mouth and how they impact your body and smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Many Oral Bacteria Do People Have in Their Mouths?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to studies, most people have over 20 billion microbes in their oral cavity. Genetics, the kinds of foods you eat, and how often you brush your teeth are all things that influence how many oral bacteria are in your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest challenge is that bacteria reproduce. Researchers found that the number of microbes in the mouth doubles every five hours. This means that if the average person brushes their teeth one morning and doesn\u2019t do it again until the next one they will have around 100 billion oral bacteria in their mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are Oral Bacteria Dangerous?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our mouths create the perfect environment for bacteria since they\u2019re damp, dark, and warm. Fortunately, the majority of oral bacteria won\u2019t hurt you. This is because saliva contains enzymes that kill some bacteria. Other microbes that you swallow will be killed by your stomach enzymes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are several kinds of bacteria in the mouth that can lead to oral health issues. They feed off the sugars in the foods you eat and release acids that attack your tooth enamel. This makes your smile more susceptible to cavities. Dry mouth, which occurs when you aren\u2019t producing enough saliva, also allows bacteria to thrive and may lead to gum disease. Some microbes also release foul-smelling gasses that cause halitosis, which is chronic bad breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Tips for Keeping Your Mouth Healthy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we\u2019ve discussed how some bacteria can harm your smile, what can you do about it? There are a few things that you can do to keep oral bacteria in check, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n