We've known for a long time that there are many different types of microbes that inhabit our mouths. A recent study took a very close-up view of the various species of bacteria that make up dental plaque. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences show a very organized structure of the microbes, and images that some may describe as 'pretty'.

The take-away is that oral microbes are much more organized than expected. The different layers of plaque provide different environments for the various species of bacteria to survive. We know that many of these microbes are extremely harmful to our teeth and gums, so these findings reinforce the need to brush and floss, in order to disturb the organization of these species.

So while some may think these bugs are nice looking up close, I think we can all agree they're not pretty from far away:

Another writeup on arstechnica.com: http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/the-gunk-on-your-teeth-is-beautiful-and-well-organized/
See the original article at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1522149113

As always, if you have any questions or have any dental topics you'd like addressed, feel free to email us at info@drcogliano.com.