{"id":365,"date":"2025-03-13T23:29:13","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T23:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petalumasmiles.com\/blog\/?p=365"},"modified":"2025-04-28T23:30:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T23:30:32","slug":"new-bacteria-causes-cavities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petalumasmiles.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/13\/new-bacteria-causes-cavities\/","title":{"rendered":"Know Your Enemy: How a Newly Discovered Bacteria Helps Cause Cavities"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Even though you probably think you already have enough nasty germs trying to ruin your teeth, dentists have discovered a strain of bacteria that may help your oral microbes cause cavities. While the oral health community has long believed that the germ Streptococcus mutans <\/em>was the primary cause of dental caries, researchers have found that Selenomonas sputigena <\/em>also plays a significant role in their development. Here\u2019s a brief guide to how these microbes team up to wreck your teeth and what you can do about it<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Do Cavities Form?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your mouth is home to vast populations of oral bacteria, and many of them can be quite beneficial for your oral health. However, some oral microbes can cause destructive infections if you don\u2019t clean your mouth properly and consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consume sugary or starchy foods or beverages, they leave nutrient-rich residues in your mouth, and the harmful oral bacteria called S. mutans<\/em> love to eat this stuff and excrete enamel-eroding acid as a metabolic byproduct. If this acid breaches the enamel layer of a tooth, germs will infect the wound, causing a cavity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does S. Sputigena<\/em> Help Cavities Form?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oddly enough, the newly discovered strain S. sputigena<\/em> does not seem to directly attack the teeth. Instead, it becomes trapped in the biofilm that S. mutans produces for shelter, a substance also called plaque. Once in the plaque, S. sputigena <\/em>builds a honeycomb-like structure that allows the biofilm to provide better protection for S. mutans, thereby making it easier for these germs to feed and produce enamel-destroying acid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can I Prevent Cavities?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best ways to prevent cavities include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n