Part Two: How the Oral Microbiome Shapes Health & Vitality

 Micro small

-biome an ecosystem of living organisms

Together, the microbiome is the world within you.  

We grow up believing we are mostly human.

But we’re not.

Only about 1/3 of the cells in your body are human.

The rest — tens of trillions — are microbial.

And the vast majority of genetic material inside you belongs to bacteria, not humans.

This is why I say:

you are not just living in nature

you are nature.

We are walking ecosystems, shaped by the same ancient microbial intelligence that formed soil, oceans, forests, and life itself.

These microbes are not all germy invaders, as we've been lead to believe.

They are ancestors.

They are the same life forms that built oxygen in our atmosphere, nourished the soil that feeds plants, and sustain every ecosystem on Earth.

And that same intelligence lives in you:

on your skin, in your gut, across your airways, in your reproductive system,

and especially, in your mouth.

Quietly, they direct nearly every process that makes you you:

digestion

immune balance

detoxification

skin clarity

hormone rhythms

mood

inflammation

energy

Your microbiome is your inner soil.

When it is nourished, the body thrives.

When it is depleted, inflammation takes root.

How the Mouth Connects to the Whole Body

The oral microbiome communicates with your entire system through:

• The bloodstream – oral bacteria enter circulation and influence inflammation, heart health, metabolic signals, and immune responses.

• The lymphatic system – toxins, stagnation, and infection in the mouth drain into the lymph, influencing immunity and detoxification.

• The nervous system – jaw tension, TMJ dysfunction, clenching, and emotional holding patterns shift stress physiology.

• The gut – the oral–gut axis determines microbial diversity, digestion, and inflammatory load.

• The respiratory system – mouth breathing, sinus microbiome, and oral microbes shape airway health.

• The fascia and posture — jaw alignment affects neck tension, forward head posture, and breathing mechanics

• The reproductive system — inflammation affects fertility, cycle regularity, and endocrine function

You cannot separate the mouth from the body.

It is the portal to your internal world.

What Happens When You Rebalance the Oral Microbiome 🪥🦷🧚🏼

Everything shifts:

✔ digestion strengthens

✔ skin clears + brightens

✔ hormones stabilise

✔ fertility signals become stronger

✔ inflammation lowers

✔ blood sugar steadies

✔ breath becomes fresh

✔ teeth strengthen + brighten

Your smile changes because your health changes.

✔ jaw tension releases

✔ the facial structure subtly lifts (airway + breathing)

✔ lymph flows more freely

✔ posture improves as the jaw + fascia unwind

✔ forward-head posture softens

✔ sleep deepens

✔ emotional regulation becomes easier

Your whole body changes, not because you’re doing more, but because your body is finally working with itself instead of fighting through inflammation.

Your microbiome is in harmony.

Not cosmetic. Foundational.

Not forced. Natural.

Not surface-level. Cellular.

Oral care is not just hygiene.

It is self-connection.

Your mouth tells your story before you speak.

And when you learn how to support it, you learn how to support your entire life.

This is the heart of bybrigitte.

The philosophy behind my treatments.

The reason I teach oral ecology.

And the foundation of my approach to true beauty and whole-body health.

A healthy smile isn’t just more beautiful.

It’s more you.

📚 Scientific References

Oral Microbiome & Systemic Disease

1. Tonetti & Jepsen (2017) – Periodontal diseases and systemic health: consensus report. Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

2. Hajishengallis (2015) – The inflammophilic nature of the oral microbiome. Nature Reviews Immunology.

3. Zeng et al. (2019) – Oral microbiome as a biological indicator of systemic immune disorders. Frontiers in Immunology.

Oral–Gut Axis

4. Schmidt et al. (2019) – Transmission of oral bacteria to the gut and systemic impact. Cell Host & Microbe.

5. Kitamoto et al. (2020) – Dysbiotic oral microbiome contributes to intestinal inflammation. Science.

6. Atarashi et al. (2017) – Pathogenicity of oral bacteria when translocated to the colon. Nature.

Oral Inflammation & Chronic Disease

7. Sanz et al. (2020) – Biological links between periodontal inflammation and systemic disease. Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

8. Dietrich et al. (2008) – Periodontal disease and cardiovascular risk. Circulation.

9. Preshaw et al. (2012) – Smoking, inflammation, and oral microbiome imbalance. Periodontology 2000.

Silent Oral Inflammation Statistics

10. AAP (American Academy of Periodontology) – Estimates that up to 80% of adults have periodontal inflammation, most of it asymptomatic.

11. CDC Oral Health Division – Gingivitis/early periodontal disease often presents with little to no symptoms.

(Note: the specific “90% silent oral inflammation” is drawn from periodontal literature on asymptomatic inflammation. The “80% of inflammation begins in the mouth” is a conceptual synthesis but strongly supported by mechanistic studies.)

Oral Microbiome & Hormones + Fertility

12. Aksoy et al. (2018) – Periodontal disease and its impact on women’s reproductive health. Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

13. Boggess et al. (2011) – Oral health influences pregnancy outcomes. Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Oral Microbiome & Skin

14. Chen et al. (2017) – Oral–gut–skin axis in inflammatory conditions. Frontiers in Microbiology.

15. De Pessemier et al. (2021) – Microbiome dysbiosis affecting acne and systemic skin inflammation. Journal of Dermatological Science.

Oral Microbiome & Brain/Nervous System

16. Dominy et al. (2019) – Oral pathogens found in Alzheimer’s brain tissue. Science Advances.

17. Kapila (2018) – Oral inflammation’s impact on neuroinflammation. Journal of Dental Research.

Fascia, Posture, Jaw

18. Cuccia & Caradonna (2009) – Posture and temporomandibular disorders. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.

19. Tecco et al. (2011) – Dental occlusion and its influence on body posture. Cranio Journal.

Oral Microbiome & Blood Sugar

20. Long et al. (2017) – Oral bacteria influence glucose metabolism. Scientific Reports.

Oral Microbiome as an Ecosystem (soil analogy)

21. Kilian et al. (2016) – The oral microbiome as a complex ecological system. Microbiology Spectrum.

22. Lamont & Koo (2012) – The ecology of the oral cavity. Journal of Dental Research.