Our mouth is a true ecosystem housing several microscopic microorganisms.
There are families of bacteria specific to the mouth, which is an environment conducive to their development: moreover, the oral microbiota, with its 700 varieties of bacteria, is the 2nd most diversified ecosystem of the human body, behind the flora. gut!
The organisms of the oral flora are separated into two categories: the commensal flora, which are the "good" bacteria protecting and, and the pathogenic flora. In a balanced microbiota, the commensal flora acts as a protective barrier. But if there are too many pathogenic bacteria, this imbalance, or dysbiosis, can cause reactions that get worse over time.
Here are 5 signs that show that your microbiota may be out of balance!
- Bad breath. Your loved ones suddenly complain that your breath is unpleasant when it was not the case before? It must be because of the imbalance of your flora! Halitosis, the scientific term for bad breath, can come from pathogenic bacteria, which release sulfur-based compounds that disperse into the air.
- Too much plaque and tart. The pathogenic bacteria, mixed with saliva and sugars, acids and proteins, form a whitish deposit called dental plaque on between the teeth. After 48 hours, dental plaque becomes tartar, a resistant porous layer that helps bacteria to settle. Dental plaque forms day after day, even with regular brushing, but too much tartar can indicate an imbalance in the balance of its microbiota.
- Appearance of cavities An imbalance of the oral flora increases the chances of the appearance of cavities. The bacteria, by proliferating in the dental plaque between or on the teeth, produce acids and directly attack the enamel of the tooth by demineralizing it. They gradually destroy the tooth which, if the cavity is not treated, is eaten away to the pulp and painful.
- Gingivitis Bacteria developing in dental plaque in the gums cause local inflammation in the gums: this is gingivitis. The most common symptoms are swollen, bleeding, red, smooth-looking gums. It is not to be taken lightly and can lead, if not treated quickly enough, to periodontitis.
- Non-local conditions Periodontitis, or periodontal disease, is an infectious disease which is characterized by the loosening of the tooth, the progressive destruction of tissues, bone and gums, and in the long term the loss of teeth. But the conditions are not only local: pathogenic bacteria can cause a drop in immunity, lung abscesses, abdominal comfort or even local inflammation of the liver. An imbalance of the microbiota can occur for several reasons: age, a change in diet, oral hygiene or taking medication.
