How Your Mouth and Gut Are More Connected Than You Think
When we talk about the gut microbiome, most people think about the bacteria living in the intestines. But did you know that microbes from your mouth can also make their way into your gut and influence how it functions?
This fascinating “oral-gut connection” is a growing area of research that can reveal a lot about inflammation, digestive symptoms, and overall gut health.
How Oral Bacteria End Up in the Gut
Your mouth and digestive tract are part of one continuous system, and the bacteria in your mouth naturally travel down the digestive pathway each time you swallow.
In a healthy gut, most of these microbes don’t stay long. Stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and a balanced gut microbiome help keep them in check. But when the gut environment becomes less resilient, certain bacteria from the mouth can start to take hold further down the line.
This is more likely to happen when:
Stomach acid is low – often due to stress or reflux medications (PPIs)
Antibiotics are used frequently – which reduce protective bacteria
Inflammation is present – creating an environment that favours the wrong species
Oral bacteria like Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis are well known for causing dental plaque and gum issues, but when they show up in stool tests, they can also be a sign of imbalance in the gut.
Why This Matters
The presence of oral species in the gut doesn’t necessarily mean infection – but it can signal that your microbiome is out of balance.
Studies have linked oral bacteria in the gut with inflammation and digestive symptoms. High levels are often seen in people with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, but can also appear in anyone with an imbalanced microbiome or a history of antibiotic or PPI use.
By looking at whether these species are present, and in what amounts, we gain clues about how well your gut is functioning and whether it needs support to restore a healthy environment.
What We Look For in Testing
At Her Earth Medicine, we use comprehensive microbiome testing to look at the whole picture of gut health – not just individual microbes in isolation.
We assess:
The diversity and balance of bacteria, fungi, and other species
Signs of inflammation or digestive stress
The presence of oral species that shouldn’t normally thrive in the gut
How these patterns might be influencing your symptoms
This helps us pinpoint the drivers of your gut issues, rather than just treating the symptoms.
Restoring Balance Naturally
If oral species are present, the goal isn’t to “kill” them off, but to create a gut environment where beneficial bacteria can flourish again. This often involves:
Supporting stomach acid and digestive function
Rebuilding microbial diversity through diet and prebiotics
Reducing inflammation and stress on the digestive system
By bringing the microbiome back into balance, these opportunistic species naturally return to low, harmless levels.
Ready to explore your gut health in more detail?
If you’ve experienced bloating, digestive discomfort, or ongoing gut inflammation, it might be time to look at the bigger picture.
Book a gut consultation with our team to explore your microbiome and learn how your oral health may be influencing your digestion.
