EARLY BACTERIAL COLONISTS

Both tooth decay and gum disease are predominantly owed to the activity of bacteria. The oral microbiome, which describes the bacterial community that has taken residence in the oral cavity, is a diverse one, with over 600 species being present in some individuals. These bacteria first arrive in the mouth shortly after birth, where often a group of bacteria known as streptococcus spearhead the colonisation charge. Streptococci are adept at producing adhesive molecules, and so are well suited for establishing themselves across the different niches found in the mouth. They’re also efficient metabolisers of carbohydrates, which they achieve via a process of fermentation that creates harmful acids as a by-product.

Species from the genus Streptococci act as forerunners for establishing microbiomes in the oral cavity