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- Finding the Right Bacterial Balance for Optimum Oral Health

By the time you reach adulthood, roughly 100 trillion microscopic organisms will have taken up residence in and on your body, outnumbering your own cells 10 to 1. Most are bacteria, a domain of the animal kingdom considered synonymous with disease. But only a few of the thousands of bacterial species cause us harm; the rest are either benign or actually beneficial to our health, including in our mouths.
Dentistry pioneered much of our knowledge about bacteria, developing processes used to identify, classify and understand those species inhabiting our mouths. Science as a whole is catching up with the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) begun in 2007. Through HMP, researchers have catalogued and begun to study more than 10,000 bacterial species.
We’re finding that our bodies develop a symbiotic relationship with many of these creatures invisible to the naked eye. During our infancy the bacteria we ingest from birth and breast feeding begin to interact with our body’s immune system, “teaching” it to refrain from attacking friendly organisms that contribute to health and searching and destroying enemy species that cause disease.
We’re also learning that an imbalance with our individual population of bacteria has links with disease. Our digestive system is a prime example: bacteria related to obesity can overpopulate our digestive tract, while malnutrition can create an environment that produces too many bacteria that inhibit digestion of vitamins and other nutrients.
The same microbial imbalance can occur in the mouth. For example, our typical Western diet encourages the growth of bacteria most associated with tooth decay (Streptococcus mutans). We’re also finding that tobacco smoking creates a mouth environment more conducive to the bacteria that cause gum disease. Just by quitting smoking you can alter that environment to encourage growth of health-promoting bacteria and inhibit growth of malevolent species.
The desired outcome of this knowledge is to develop treatments that target disease-causing bacteria without harming those beneficial to us (as often occurs with traditional antibiotics). In dentistry, such possibilities could help stop the spread of tooth decay, gum disease or similar bacterial infections, while fostering a healthier oral environment that prevents disease and protects health.
If you would like more information on healthy aspects of bacteria, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.
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Belton
561 North Scott Ave. Suite A
Belton, MO 64012
(816) 331-4333
fax: (816) 318-8178
Adrian
20 E. Main St.
Adrian, MO 64720
(816) 297-2297
Archive:
- 2019
- January (6)
- Stay Hydrated in Winter for Better Year-Round Oral Hygiene
- Want to Keep Enjoying Winter Sports? Wear a Mouthguard!
- Protecting Primary Teeth from Decay Helps Ensure Future Dental Health
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Boost Your Jawbone Health
- How a New Approach to Treating Decay Could Benefit You
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- 2018
- December (6)
- Inflammation is a Key Element in Both Oral and Systemic Diseases
- Practice Daily Oral Hygiene to Prevent Calcified Plaque Formation
- Dental Visits are Key to Detecting Early Developing Tooth Decay
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- Support Your Child's Dental Development with Preventive Care
- November (6)
- Moderate Your Child's Juice Drinking to Lower Tooth Decay Risk
- Diabetes and Oral Health: True or False?
- TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
- The Connection Between GERD and Oral Health
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- October (6)
- Keep up Regular Dental Care While You're Pregnant
- Don't Stress Over Your Child's Teeth Grinding Habit Unless it Persists
- New Dental Advances Promise Better Outcomes for Treating Decay
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Be Sure to Have a Dental Exam Before Whitening Your Teeth
- Although a Challenge, Chronically Ill Children Need Tooth Decay Prevention
- September (6)
- 4 Reasons You Should Begin Your Child's Dental Visits by Age One
- Office Fluoride Treatments Can Add Extra Protection to Your Child's Teeth
- Effective Oral Hygiene is Key to Disease Prevention While Wearing Braces
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
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- August (6)
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- Advances in Dental Health that may be Waiting for us Just around the Corner
- Treating a Child's Tooth Injury May Require Special Consideration
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- July (7)
- Some Patients Might Need Antibiotics Before Routine Dental Work
- A Second Root Canal Treatment May Help Save an Endangered Tooth
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- June (6)
- Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
- Saving a Diseased Primary Tooth Could Mean Better Oral Health Later in Life
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- March (5)
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- Prompt Treatment for Gum Disease Could Ultimately Save Your Teeth
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- 2017
- December (5)
- The Perils of a Loose Permanent Tooth - and What to do About it
- Cosmetic Questions to Ask to Get You on the Right Path to a Better Smile
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- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- September (5)
- A Teen with a Missing Tooth May Need to Wait on a Dental Implant
- Waiting to Afford Implants? Consider a Flexible RPD in the Meantime
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- Stay Vigilant with Oral Hygiene to Avoid Another Bout of Gum Disease
- June (5)
- Loose Adult Teeth Require Immediate Attention and Treatment
- We may Need to Remove one or More Teeth Before Applying Braces
- A Smile Makeover Depends on Balancing Technique with Beauty
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- 2016
- October (5)
- Extracting Certain Teeth can Boost Orthodontic Effectiveness
- Ease Your Child's Discomfort During Teething
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- An Infected or Injured Primary Tooth Can Be Saved - but it's Complicated
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- August (5)
- Antibiotics Could Help Ensure your Implant Surgery is Successful
- Root Planing Cleans Plaque from Tooth Roots Without Surgery
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- June (5)
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- March (5)
- Implant-Supported Dentures - a Better Fit with Excessive Bone Loss
- Know the Kind of Smile You Want Before Cosmetic Dental Treatment
- 3 Tips for Minimizing Enamel Erosion from Sports Drinks
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- 2015
- December (5)
- Implant-based Overdentures may be a Better Long-Term Fit Option
- Treating Dry Mouth is Important for Maintaining Good Oral Health
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- October (5)
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- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
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- 2011
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