I know it’s bacteria, but where is that bacteria coming from? Why doesn’t brushing, flossing, mouth washing, or getting a deep clean at the dentist get rid of it entirely?

  • Otter@lemmy.ca
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    4 months ago

    As a follow-up question of what the composition looks like

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6503789/

    The oral cavity has the second largest and diverse microbiota after the gut harboring over 700 species of bacteria. It nurtures numerous microorganisms which include bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. The mouth with its various niches is an exceptionally complex habitat where microbes colonize the hard surfaces of the teeth and the soft tissues of the oral mucosa. In addition to being the initiation point of digestion, the oral microbiome is crucial in maintaining oral as well as systemic health. Because of the ease of sample collection, it has become the most well-studied microbiome till date.

    Oral cavity is one of the most well-studied microbiomes till date with a total of 392 taxa that have at least one reference genome and the total genomes across the oral cavity approaching 1500.[21]

    Approximately 700 species of prokaryotes have been identified in it. These species belong to 185 genera and 12 phyla, of which approximately 54% are officially named, 14% are unnamed (but cultivated) and 32% are known only as uncultivated phylotypes.[9] The 12 phlya are Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chlamydiae, Chloroflexi, Spirochaetes, SR1, Synergistetes, Saccharibacteria (TM7) and Gracilibacteria (GN02).[22] At the genus level, there is a conserved oral microbial community in healthy mouths. Diversity in the microbiome is individual specific and site specific, despite the similarities. The tongue has numerous papillae with few anaerobic sites and hence harbors a diverse microflora which also includes anaerobes. The areas with low microbial diversity are the buccal and palatal mucosae.[