5 Bad Bacteria In Your Mouth That Are Secretly Hurting Your Body

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In the oral cavity ecology, there are several criminally dangerous kinds of bacteria. These are their stories.

Over 700 species of bacteria can live in the human mouth, but don't worry: Not all bacteria are bad. Some forms actually hamper bad breath by battling stinkier bacteria for the sustenance in your mouth, causing the smelly stuff to be less rampant. However, there ARE some bad guys in the city of oral ecology.

If you feel something awry in your mouth, these are the usual suspects:

1. Streptococcus mutans — Dental Enemy No. 1

Have a sweet tooth? So does this guy — or, rather, it has a sweet tooth for your sweet tooth! Streptococcus mutans is the Big Boss of the cavity crime network, responsible for the majority of human dental decay.

S. mutans' modus operandi is breaking down the sugar you shove into your mouth, lowering the pH in your mouth, and producing acid that eats away at your enamel.

Once a lesion forms, it opens the floodgates to your teeth for other scum and villainy, causing you far more dentist appointments.

2. The Red Complex Gang

Behold an unholy alliance — Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia — three pathogens bent on destroying your mouth by creating periodontitis, a later stage of gum disease, of which at least 46% of US adults aged 30 and older suffer from. These three conspire in a cooperative manner as the "red complex," together inflaming the tissues that hold in your teeth and potentially causing tooth loss.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is the clear ringleader of this gang, as on its own it can produce serious damage, while Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia don't do nearly as much by themselves. But combine P. gingivalis with either or both lesser pathogens, and you might find your teeth swiftly plundered.

3. Fusobacterium nucleatum — The Opportunist

You might have Fusobacterium nucleatum to thank for your dragon breath. The reason F. nucleatum is so effective at its job is that this carpetbagging bacterium has no problem letting other bacteria do the dirty work. Though by itself it's a relatively sensitive organism, it's been known to coaggregate (meaning "attach itself") onto other highly proteolytic microorganisms in order to do its evil deeds.

But don't underestimate F. Nucleatum; it produces rancid compounds of sulfur at the base of your tongue, which makes it one of the most common bacteria charged with committing the crime of bad breath.

4. Prevotella intermedia — The Architect

When it comes to periodontal diseases, there's one bacterium that always seems to end up the prime suspect: Prevotella intermedia. Genetically, it is designed to be resistant to antimicrobials that try to destroy it, and it also forms intricate biofilms that attach to teeth in order to slowly decay them. Basically, the instinct to desecrate your smile is in its DNA.

5. Actinomyces viscosus — The Inside Man

Although it is technically a fundamental element of a healthy mouth (in one study, 97% of 2-year-olds carried Actinomyces in their oral cavity), this treacherous bacterium is often found at the scene of the crime for most diseases involving plaque, including but not limited to periodontal disease.

Part of the reason why it's so good at producing plaque is that it produces extracellular polymers that make the cells sticky and attach to enamel more effectively. The perfect greaseman for an inside job.

Illustrations by Chesney Lattuga / © BuzzFeed

Brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. Luckily, LISTERINE® antiseptic kills the germs that cause bad breath, plaque, and gingivitis.

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