{"id":418,"date":"2021-03-13T02:21:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-13T07:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.centraldentalnorwood.com\/blog\/?p=418"},"modified":"2021-03-25T02:25:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T06:25:37","slug":"corrosive-oral-bacteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centraldentalnorwood.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/13\/corrosive-oral-bacteria\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Bacteria are Secretly Living Inside Your Mouth?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When it comes to maintaining excellent dental health, an emphasis is placed on controlling the growth of oral bacteria. With that in mind, how many are present in your mouth at any given time? Continue reading to get the shocking answer, and to discover what you can do to encourage healthy and strong teeth and gums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Many Bacteria are Present?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s nearly impossible to accurately determine how many bacteria are present inside the mouth at any given time, but some estimates are as high as 20 billion. Additionally, researchers have determined that there are 500 to 650 species. Bacteria aren\u2019t discriminating about where they domicile, as they can be found on the tongue and teeth, and in the biofilm that coats the cheeks and oral mucosa. Their numbers can change rapidly, depending on the types of foods and beverages you consume and the quality of your dental hygiene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Fast Can Bacteria Grow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When observed in a petri dish, some species of oral bacteria can double their numbers in as little as 20 minutes. However, this isn\u2019t as easy a task to accomplish when living inside the human mouth, as there are competitors. It should be noted that a person\u2019s dental hygiene regimen can serve as a major hinderance to their growth \u2013 which is a good thing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more context, consider that a person swallows about 1 liter (1,000 ml) of saliva each day. Given that researchers have found that 1 ml of saliva contains about 100 million microbes, it\u2019s estimated that humans swallow up to 100 billion microbes of bacteria every 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What This Means for Your Oral Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If allowed to grow unfettered, oral bacteria soon harden (within 48 hours) into plaque and can contribute to tooth and gum decay. Ignored, oral bacteria can also lead to the following problems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n