Our mouths are like tiny universes full of good and bad bacteria fighting at all times to take over. If you take good care of your teeth at home and stay consistent with your visits to Dr. Norman, chances are the good bacteria are winning the fight in your mouth. Here are eight facts you probably will wish you hadn’t read but that should help motivate you to keep up with your at-home oral hygiene routine and your twice-a-year professional teeth cleanings.
No. 1: Toothbrush covers don’t actually keep toothbrushes cleaner. They harbor bacteria, which get trapped in the damp, moist environment inside the holder.
No. 2: There are up to 50 billion bacteria in your mouth at all times.
No. 3: In only 10 seconds of kissing, you exchange up to 80 million bacteria with your kissing partner.
No. 4: We produce around 5,283 gallons of saliva in our lifetimes – enough to fill a swimming pool!
No. 5: Scientists have discovered a new kind of bacterium related to E. coli inside toothbrush holders.
No. 6: Without saliva to keep the pH levels balanced in the mouth, the acidic environment would dissolve our teeth.
No. 7: The inside of our mouths contain as much bacteria as there are people on the planet Earth.
No. 8: There are on average 10 billion microbes on your toothbrush at all times.
If you’re starting to feel a bit queasy after reading that list, you’re not alone. But there’s nothing to worry about. Thanks to advances in modern dentistry, the tools you have at your disposal for at-home oral health care, in addition to the professional tools Dr. Norman uses right here in her office, mean that your mouth can be cleaner than you ever thought possible, even with the presence of this good and bad bacteria.
If you haven’t been to the dentist in the last six months, it’s time for a professional cleaning and exam to keep your mouth and teeth in their prime. Call us today to schedule one at (425) 320-3478.
