Next, the mouth is a collection of the teeth, gums, hard palate, soft palate, tongue, tonsil, ulva, lips, et cetera. The mouth is a premier environment for bacteria to live because it has a warm climate. Also, when the hosts eats, they receive an appropriate amount of nutrients to survive. Following, to determine how many bacteria are in the mouth, researchers have measured the weight of all the bacteria on the teeth. The weight of the mentioned bacteria is 10 mg. But since the teeth are only 1/20 of all oral surfaces, the 10 mg is multiplied by 20 to find the total weight, which is 200 mg. Another fact is that 1 mg of oral biomass inhabits 100 million bacteria. So, then, the two values, 100 million and 200mg would need to be multiplied to …show more content…
Next, to determine how long it takes for the bacteria double the average amount of saliva swallowed every 24 hours must be known. The average amount of saliva a person swallows in one day is 1000 milliliters. Also, about 100 million microbes are in 1 ml of saliva. So, if the two values, 1000 mL and 100 million are multiplied, it can be concluded that 100 billion microbes are swallowed every 24 hours. Which mean 20 billion original microbes must be producing and shedding 100 billion other microbes per 24 hours. Or, the bacteria is doubling it's number 5 times every 24 hours. So if the 24 hours is divided by the 5 times the bacteria double their numbers in 24 hours, the answer, 4.8 hours represents the amount of time it takes for the oral microbes to double their numbers. The most common oral bacteria genus is the gram-positive Streptococcus. Streptococci have an oval form. Common types of Streptococcus are, Streptococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus aureus. More types include Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pyogenes. But, the most renown type is Streptococcus mutans. Streptococcus is a bacteria known for its …show more content…
The acidic environment Streptococcus mutans lives in enhances it's metabolism. This allows Streptococcus mutans to lower or maintain the current oral pH level. The reduced pH also results in tooth decay occurring at more swift rate. By controlling the pH, Streptococcus mutans has the potential to become pathogenic. The genus Lactobacillus is another common oral bacteria, which is also gram positive. Additionally, Lactobacilli have a long rod form. Originally, Lactobacilli were though to cause tooth decay. Oral bacteria are often located on the teeth, gums, and top and bottom of the tongue. Oral bacteria are also on the linings of the mouth and throat. The bacteria produce biofilms from a self-produced substance and saliva. The biofilm protects the bacteria from hazards they engage in the mouth. Additionally, the microorganisms produce a extracellular polymeric substance, which appears as slime. The EPS acts a glue, bonding the bacteria to one another. Continuing, the EPS protects the oral bacteria from antibiotics, and antimicrobial substances. The EPS defends the oral bacteria from white blood cells too. When the bacteria have grouped together they're classified as plaque. If the plaque hardens due to mineral deposits from saliva, it becomes