From the polar oceans to tropical jungles, the planet is filled with all manner of habitats for diverse life. But we don’t have to look far to find places teeming with critters. We have one within our bodies: our mouths. Second only to the gut, the mouth is the most fertile habitat for life in the human body and is home to many types of viruses, fungi, protozoa, and more than 700 species of bacteria. To these tiny lifeforms, your mouth is a thriving landscape where different zones, such as your teeth, tongue, palate, cheeks and gums provide hard and soft terrains with varied niches for bacteria to cluster in and compete to survive.
We may be told from a young age that microbes are disgusting and dangerous, but their presence in our bodies is extremely important. The oral microbiome, communities of microorganisms living in our mouths, plays a fascinating and often symbiotic role in maintaining overall oral health, as well as systemic health. In fact, its presence not only assists with breaking down food and maintaining oral hygiene, but also controls more harmful organisms that enter the mouth. When everything is in balance, the microorganisms that support the mouth’s normal functions are able to live in harmony. It is therefore worth getting to know some of the more important critters that live in our mouths and how to create a healthy home for them. Welcome to the oral safari …
