Why does bacteria in our mouth become harmful to our teeth, while bacteria inside our body is usually kept in check and co-exists within us?
In: Biology
Strep Mutans is a specific bacteria that has evolved the ability to infect tooth structure. It converts carbs into acid that dissolve tooth structure…. as they destroy the tooth they create their own microenvironment to thrive in. There are hundreds of other bacteria in your mouth that are harmless. Kind of like most of the bacteria in your gut is helpful but Salmonella will make you sick.
It’s the foods we eat. All the sugar. Our ancestors ate the diet we evolved to eat and it was much nicer on the teeth.
When bacteria in the mouth eat food they poop acid. That acid mixes with food and saliva to make ‘plaque’. The plaque sticks to your teeth. The acid in the plaque dissolves the surface of your tooth (enamel), creating holes (cavities).
Because our modern diets are particularly bacteria friendly. Refined sugars stick to the teeth and are easy for bacteria to consume.
It’s only in the last couple of centuries that sugar’s become so available, so we’re not evolved to deal with it at all.
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