3.5 billion years of evolution gave you a built-in protect towards cavities and gum illness.

Right here’s why it now not works.

Biofilms are sometimes called the “pores and skin” of the tooth, a easy and ubiquitous layer that adheres to onerous surfaces like enamel. Nonetheless, this description fails to seize the true essence of biofilms as basic organic methods. 

Biofilms are far older than the human species, originating within the earliest levels of life on Earth. They characterize one of many first types of organized life and have advanced over billions of years to function important survival mechanisms for microorganisms. 

But, in at present’s world, the biofilm faces a profound mismatch with fashionable environmental situations, resulting in a number of oral well being points. Understanding biofilms as primordial organ methods that advanced below very completely different situations can make clear how we would higher take care of them in at present’s world.

The Historical Origins of Biofilms

• Biofilms are among the many earliest life kinds on Earth, with fossilized microbial mats present in stromatolites relationship again 3.5 billion years. 
• These early biofilms had been constructed by prokaryotic organisms like cyanobacteria—life kinds that thrived in low-oxygen, excessive environments. 
• The formation of biofilms allowed these microorganisms to protect themselves from dangerous ultraviolet radiation, forestall desiccation (drying out), and share vitamins effectively. 
• Biofilms additionally offered a mechanism for genetic alternate, enhancing the adaptability of those formative years kinds.

Magnesium (right here’s the hyperlink to the one I take) performed an important position in enabling these early organic methods to perform:

• It prompts enzymes, transfers power (through ATP), and stabilizes DNA and RNA.
• Alongside iron and phosphorus, magnesium made life attainable.

Biofilms weren’t simply shields—they had been the stepping stones to multicellular life. Their construction enabled cooperation, communication, and early complexity.

Biofilms and the Oral Microbiome

In people, the oral biofilm is a crucial element of our oral microbiome. It serves as a bodily protect for the enamel, offering safety towards dangerous micro organism that might trigger decay or gum illness. 

This biofilm isn’t just a passive layer; it has energetic features that promote oral well being. It accommodates antimicrobial brokers and hosts immune responses, together with antibodies, to assist defend towards pathogens. 

The biofilm additionally helps regulate pH ranges within the mouth and assists within the remineralization of the tooth by transferring calcium from saliva to areas of the tooth which were demineralized.

Biofilm is dynamic. Micro organism throughout the biofilm talk with one another by means of quorum sensing, a course of that permits them to coordinate their actions, regulate to altering environmental situations, and preserve a wholesome steadiness. The biofilm thus acts as a regulator of the oral ecosystem, making certain that useful micro organism thrive whereas dangerous ones are stored at bay.

The Mismatch with Trendy Life

Regardless of their evolutionary success, biofilms now face challenges they had been by no means designed for:

• Dietary Adjustments: Trendy diets are wealthy in sugars and fermentable carbs. Dangerous micro organism thrive and create acid, inflicting enamel loss.
• Processed Meals: Excessive in refined sugars, these promote the overgrowth of damaging micro organism.
• Dry Mouth: Brought on by dehydration, drugs, and mouth respiration. This lowers pH and favors dangerous strains.
• Frequent Snacking: Fixed meals publicity prevents biofilm restoration.
• Oral Care Merchandise:
  For many years, oral care has centered on sterilization. However the oral microbiome is a residing organ system—it wants steadiness, not eradication. This is the reason I co-founded Fygg (Feed Your Good Guys). Alcohol, triclosan, detergents, emulsifiers, and even “pure” important oils disrupt the ecosystem we rely on. In making an attempt to scrub our mouths, we’ve created microbial sabotage.

This mismatch between the biofilm’s evolutionary design and fashionable residing situations results in a number of oral well being issues, together with cavities, gum illness, and different systemic results.

Mismatch Ailments: What Occurs When the Biofilm Can’t Adapt

• Cavities (Dental Caries): Sugar feeds acid-producing micro organism that break down enamel.
• Gum Illness (Gingivitis and Periodontitis): Microbial imbalance causes irritation and an infection.
• Rebound from Harsh Merchandise: Overuse of antibacterial mouthwash can destroy good micro organism—inflicting imbalance.
• Dry Mouth and pH Points: A dry, acidic surroundings feeds pathogens.
• Systemic Results: Oral pathogens might enter the bloodstream and contribute to illnesses like Alzheimer’s and coronary heart illness.

Supporting the Biofilm: The Path Ahead

As an alternative of specializing in killing the biofilm with harsh chemical substances or aggressive brushing, we must always goal to help and nourish it. Biofilms live methods which have advanced over billions of years, and with the suitable situations, they’ll proceed to guard the enamel and preserve oral well being.

Listed here are some methods for supporting the biofilm:

• Mild Brushing: Brushing shouldn’t be about scrubbing away the biofilm. As an alternative, it must be centered on gently disorganizing the micro organism to reset the steadiness. Utilizing a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste ensures that the biofilm will not be disrupted too aggressively.
• Correct Hydration: Saliva performs a important position in sustaining the biofilm. Consuming loads of water and avoiding dry mouth helps maintain the biofilm hydrated and functioning correctly.
• Wholesome Weight-reduction plan: A weight-reduction plan low in processed sugars and excessive in vitamins and minerals (like magnesium) and electrolytes helps help the wholesome micro organism within the biofilm, permitting it to thrive and shield the enamel.
• Oil Pulling: This observe entails swishing oil, usually coconut or sesame, within the mouth to assist cleanse and preserve the biofilm. In contrast to abrasive brushing, oil pulling doesn’t scrub or take away the biofilm however helps to skinny it gently. By doing so, it encourages a steadiness within the oral microbiome, permitting useful micro organism to thrive whereas stopping the overgrowth of dangerous micro organism. It’s a easy, pure strategy to help oral well being with out disrupting the biofilm’s protecting position.
• Use Nourishing Oral Care Merchandise: It’s important to decide on merchandise that nourish the oral microbiome. The appropriate merchandise, together with non-abrasive toothpaste and important oil-free toothpaste, help the biofilm’s well being by sustaining a balanced, thriving surroundings for the useful micro organism. These merchandise assist reinforce the biofilm’s protecting position quite than stripping it away.

Biofilms are excess of a easy layer on the tooth—they’re historical methods which have performed a important position within the survival of life on Earth. The biofilm in our mouths is a residing organ system that advanced to guard us from pathogens and preserve oral well being. Nonetheless, the trendy surroundings has created a mismatch between the biofilm’s evolutionary design and the stresses it now faces.

The biofilm is there for a motive—to guard and steadiness your mouth. Deal with it with respect, and it’ll proceed to do its job.

-Dr. B

P.S. I did a model new podcast interview final week. Give it a hear and let me know what you suppose!