Mouth Bacteria that Harm Health • Hello Sehat

Most people do not realize the dangers of bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria will actually have no problem if the numbers are balanced and live in harmony. However, once a disorder appears such as caries (cavities), tooth supporting disease (periodontal), or an infection, this condition can cause more serious health problems.

As stated by Dr. Walter Loesche, a scientist at the University of Michigan, the average human swallows 1 liter (1,000 ml) of saliva per day. In 1 ml contains 100 million microbes, meaning that there will be 100 billion microbes in 1,000 ml of saliva that we swallow. We need to know that there are 20 billion microbes living in the mouth in the beginning, and will multiply in 24 hours by 5 times, to 100 billion every day.

What can increase the number of bacteria in the mouth?

Dr. Loesche said that if we don’t brush our teeth, the number of oral microorganisms that initially number 20 billion will become 100 billion. The number is not a definite number, it could be that the bacteria grow more and more. Below are things that can trigger the development of bacteria:

Temperature
Potential for REDOX or anaerobiosis (a continuous form of life in the absence of oxygen)
pH (acid base level)
Nutrition (endogenous & exogenous (diet))
Body defense (innate & acquired)
Body genetics (altered immune response, etc.)
Antimicrobial agents & inhibitors (inhibitors)

The types of mouth bacteria that are harmful

Of the many bacteria in the mouth, some are good bacteria and bad bacteria. The following are the main types of negative bacteria:

Phorphyromonas: P. gingivalis, the main periodontal pathogen
Pevotella: P. intermedia, periodontal pantogen
Fusobacterium: F. nucleatum, periodontal pathogens
Antinobacillus / Aggregatibacter: A. actinomycetemcomitans, incorporated in aggressive periodontitis
Treponema: T. denticola,an important group in acute periodontal conditions, such as ANUG
Neisseria
Veillonella

What diseases can occur due to bacteria in the mouth?

Periodontitis

Periodontitis is an infection of the oral cavity that is often found in the community. Periodontitis is considered the number two disease in the world after tooth decay. Periodontitis is mostly caused by the irritation of specific pathogenic bacteria such as phorphyromonas gingivalis, prevotella intermedia, bacteriodes forsytus, and actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

The severity and increased incidence of periodontitis can increase in people with diabetes and will be worse if diabetes is poorly controlled. Periodontitis can worsen diabetes by reducing glycemic control (controlling blood sugar elevations).

Heart disease

People who are at risk for periodontitis are also at risk for heart disease. However, if the person is already exposed to periodontitis, then he will be twice as likely to develop heart disease. The role of infection and inflammation in atherosclerosis (a condition of narrowing of the arteries) is becoming increasingly clear.

Chronic inflammatory periodontitis is one of the most common infections in humans with as many as 10-15% of the population experiencing progression to periodontal disease, namely heart disease. In the context of heart disease, individuals with periodontitis are reported to have an increased risk of disease, including coronary, stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and atherosclerosis. Further research has shown that the bacterial load P.gingivalis, A.actinomycetemcomitans, T.denticola, and Tannarella forythia in subgingival plaque samples may be associated with intima-media thickening (coronary artery dysfunction).

Chronic conditions of inflammation and the burden on microbes can also make a person susceptible to heart disease caused by another infection by bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae.

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Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.