Oral flora usually only becomes an issue once damage has already occurred—and this has consequences. Here you'll learn how to prevent these consequences and build a healthy oral flora.
Millions of bacteria fight for survival in our mouths every day. These include not only good bacteria, but also harmful ones. So what happens when the harmful bacteria gain the upper hand? Harmful microorganisms can lead not only to inflammation in the mouth but also to various diseases. However, if the oral flora becomes unbalanced, it doesn't have to stay that way forever; with targeted measures, the beneficial bacteria can be rebuilt.
Building up oral flora: What exactly is oral flora?
The oral flora , a complex ecosystem of billions of microorganisms, forms a unique microworld in our mouths. This includes hundreds of species of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and single-celled organisms that colonize each person differently. Additionally, the colonization of bacteria is influenced by diet, oral hygiene, and age. However, certain bacteria can also contribute to unwanted problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Therefore, the focus should be on strengthening healthy bacteria, and probiotic solutions can also provide valuable support.
Building up oral flora: Healthy vs. disturbed oral flora
So what's the difference between healthy and disturbed oral flora? Here you'll learn about the characteristics, causes, and symptoms:
Healthy oral flora: characteristics
A healthy oral flora is characterized by a balanced ratio of good and bad microbes. The beneficial microorganisms play a crucial role in protecting against pathogens and diseases. In contrast, harmful microbes can create the ideal environment for viruses and bacteria. A balance between these two groups of bacteria is therefore essential for optimal oral health, which can be effectively promoted through conscious care.
Our oral flora consists of a variety of bacterial strains and groups. When this balance becomes unbalanced, we speak of a disturbed oral flora.
Disturbed oral flora: causes and symptoms
Imbalances within the oral flora can arise from various factors such as stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, poor oral hygiene and diabetes, which in turn can lead to disturbed oral flora.
These causes, symptoms and diseases can occur when the oral flora is disturbed:
1. Disturbed oral flora: causes
Disturbed oral flora can have the following causes:
- Inadequate or infrequent oral hygiene
- No use of dental floss
- Consumption of many sugary foods
- High alcohol and tobacco consumption
- Regular use of medications such as cortisol and antibiotics
- Long-term or permanent stress and overload
- Old age
- Excessive use of mouthwashes
2. Disturbed oral flora: symptoms
The following symptoms may occur when the oral flora is out of balance:
- Small wounds in the mouth and throat area
- Herpes blisters in the mouth area
- Burning of the tongue and/or mucous membranes
- Bad breath due to too many harmful bacteria
- Inflamed and bleeding gums
- Frequent occurrence of caries
3. Disturbed oral flora: diseases
If a disturbed oral flora is not treated in time, the following diseases can occur:
- Damage to the gastrointestinal tract as the harmful bacteria spread throughout the body
- Muscle and joint pain due to strong autoimmune reactions
- Gum inflammations such as periodontitis and periodontosis
Build up oral flora: The 7 best tips
If the oral flora is already compromised, the focus is on specifically eliminating harmful bacteria. The following 7 tips can help you restore your oral flora in a targeted and effective manner.
- Regular oral hygiene: Care should be taken to brush teeth thoroughly at least twice a day and to clean between the teeth carefully to effectively remove plaque.
- Fluoride rinses: Supplementing your daily oral hygiene routine with fluoride rinses can provide additional protection for your dental health. Fluoride plays a crucial role in hardening tooth enamel and can help prevent tooth decay.
- Tongue care: Daily tongue care is an essential part of holistic oral hygiene. Scraping the tongue, especially the back of the tongue, not only removes food debris but also harmful microbes that tend to colonize there. These microorganisms can not only cause bad breath but also contribute to various oral problems.
- Professional dental cleaning: Professional dental cleanings can effectively remove even stubborn deposits. During these sessions, the dentist can thoroughly remove tartar and plaque, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
- Change your toothbrush regularly: Your toothbrush should be replaced at least every three months, as worn bristles lose their effectiveness and broken bristles can damage the tooth surfaces.
- Drink tea: Incorporating black and green tea also positively supports oral health. These teas contain natural substances that can strengthen teeth. They also have antioxidant properties, which help fight free radicals and thus support oral health.
- Anti-inflammatory diet: Consciously consuming anti-inflammatory vegetables such as garlic, broccoli, tomatoes, chili, and ginger can not only reduce inflammation in the mouth but also help support the balance of the oral flora.
Build up oral flora: Taking probiotics
Although a balanced diet and thorough dental hygiene are the foundation for a healthy oral flora, additional measures are often necessary. Mouthwashes are often used as a supplement, but traditional mouthwashes can only remove a fraction of the bacteria and also have another problem: they eliminate both good and harmful bacteria.
In contrast, probiotics are live bacteria that can specifically promote the growth of healthy bacteria while simultaneously controlling the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. This is especially important after taking antibiotics and antiseptics, which can destroy not only disease-causing but also health-promoting bacteria.
Our recommendation: The probiotic lozenges from PRObiom® Dental
PRObiom® Dental lozenges demonstrate their effectiveness in these three areas:
- Periodontitis: In cases of periodontitis, PRObiom® Dental supports the restoration of a balanced oral flora. It contains the bacterium Streptococcus salivarius M18, which helps to eliminate harmful bacteria, which can positively influence the progression of periodontitis.
- Caries: Disruption of the bacterial balance in the oral flora leads to the formation of plaque, which contains pathogenic bacteria that cause caries. PRObiom® Dental helps restore this balance and displace harmful bacteria, which can reduce plaque formation.
- Bad breath: The most common cause of bad breath is the accumulation of harmful bacteria that produce sulfur compounds. PRObiom® Dental helps kill these bad bacteria, thus contributing to the creation of a balanced oral flora, which can counteract bad breath.
The targeted use of PRObiom® Dental can therefore support comprehensive oral care and help to specifically address problems such as periodontitis, caries and bad breath.
Build up oral flora: These home remedies help
The promotion of a healthy oral flora can also be supported by some effective home remedies:
- Natural yogurt: Natural yogurt contains probiotic bacteria that contribute positively to the oral flora and promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the mouth.
- Sage: Sage has antimicrobial properties and can help reduce bacteria in the mouth. As a tea, sage can also be used as a natural mouthwash.
- Mint: Mint has a refreshing effect and also possesses antimicrobial properties. Using mint can not only freshen breath but also support the oral microbiome.
- Parsley: Parsley is rich in vitamin C and has anti-inflammatory properties, so chewing parsley can promote oral health.
- Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil has powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A diluted solution of tea tree oil can be used as a mouthwash to reduce inflammation.
In conclusion, incorporating simple habits such as regular dental hygiene, the use of probiotics, and the targeted application of home remedies can have a positive impact on the bacterial balance in the mouth. We're happy to support you on this journey!
