What is oral microbiology?

oral microbiology is the study of bacteria, mushrooms and viruses that colonize the mouth. This small human flora often lives narrowly wrapped in gelatin masses known as biofilms. Although the specific tribes of bacteria were traditionally considered responsible as oral pathology, causing gum and tooth decay, oral microbiology is complex. The actions and effects of one microorganism can affect the effects of another and the whole colony forms its own small ecosystem in the oral cavity. Scientists will still learn more about the meaning of different types of microbes found inside a healthy and unhealthy mouth. Recently, progress in identifying bacteria has enabled the collection and identification of microorganisms from their DNA. This technique was used in the human microbiome project, which goal is to map all the bacteria that usually appear in the body. The number of different microorganisms in the mouth has been found to be more than 700.

InTerractions between different microorganisms may mean that some microbes create factors that inhibit or promote the growth of others. Bacteria known as S. Mutans, which is known to produce acid that causes tooth decay, may be a minor threat to health if living near another bacterium that produces an alkaline substance. Those bacteria, which are early colonizers of the mouth, have special abilities that allow them to stick to teeth and gums, while later arrivals rely on connection to early settlers.

Since scientists continue to learn more about oral microbiology, it seems that plaque removal, a substance that contains microorganisms, may not be the best illumination of gums and teeth. Removal of all microbes leaves space that could then be colonized by more harmful microorganisms. This could replace a balanced combination of bacteria that may not be a health threat because the potentially harmful effects of some microbes have been neutrapped or inhibited by others around them.

Some scientists from oral microbiology have suggested that useful bacteria could be used to change the balance of microbes inside the mouth. If living bacteria could be introduced into the oral cavity, which would inhibit the growth of microbes producing acid and replaced them harmlessly, it could help reduce dental disintegration. Another method of eliminating harmful bacteria would include an attack on them with antimicrobial substances. These would be attached to molecules that bind only to a harmful species.