Saliva testMicrobe library
Every microbe, mapped to the mouth.
20 markers17 microbes3 saliva measurements
Markers
Showing 20 of 20 markers
Teeth (2)
Some germs make acid that wears down teeth. Others help protect them.
- Makes acid that can lead to cavitiesIt feeds on sugar and makes acid that can wear down the hard outer layer of teeth.Streptococcus mutansStrongly tied to diseaseStrong evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Heart
- Helps protect teethA helpful germ that competes with the main cavity germ. People without cavities tend to have more of it.Streptococcus sanguinisHelpfulModerate evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Heart
Gums (9)
These germs live in the small spaces between teeth and gums. Some are linked to gum disease.
- Can upset healthy gumsIt can upset the balance of germs under the gums and make it harder for the body to protect them.Porphyromonas gingivalisStrongly tied to diseaseStrong evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Heart, Brain
- Can move deep into gumsIts twisting shape helps it move into gum tissue. It is often found in deep spaces between teeth and gums.Treponema denticolaStrongly tied to diseaseStrong evidence
- Found around damaged gumsOften found in deep spaces between teeth and gums, especially where gums bleed or are damaged.Tannerella forsythiaStrongly tied to diseaseStrong evidence
- Linked to fast gum damageLinked to fast gum damage in some teens and young adults. This can harm the bone that holds teeth.Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitansStrongly tied to diseaseStrong evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Joints
- Linked to bleeding gumsGrows more when gums are sore, swollen or bleeding, and often increases during pregnancy.Prevotella intermediaLinked to diseaseModerate evidence
- Linked to sore, swollen gumsFound more often when gums are sore or swollen. Researchers are also studying it in pregnancy.Campylobacter rectusLinked to diseaseModerate evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Pregnancy
- Helps germs stick togetherHelps other germs stick together in plaque, the sticky film on teeth, so plaque can build up.Fusobacterium nucleatumLinked to diseaseStrong evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Colon
- A cousin of a plaque-building germRelated to a germ that helps plaque grow, and acts much like it. Research on it is still new.Fusobacterium animalisLinked to diseaseEmerging evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Colon
- Normal mouth germ, rare infectionsA normal mouth germ that can play a part in gum infections. Rarely, it can cause an infection after a bite.Eikenella corrodensLinked to diseaseLimited evidence
Implants (1)
An implant is a replacement tooth fixed in the jaw. This germ has been found around implants that are failing.
Yeast (1)
Small amounts live in most healthy mouths. Too much can cause problems.
Viruses (4)
Many stay in the body for life. Finding one in saliva does not always mean you are sick.
- The common cold-sore virusMany people carry it for life, often without sores. Finding it in saliva is common and does not mean you are ill.Herpes simplex virus 1Common lifelong virusStrong evidence
- A herpes virus rarely found in the mouthIt usually affects the genitals, not the mouth, and is rarely found in saliva. It is tested for completeness.Herpes simplex virus 2Common lifelong virusLimited evidence
- A very common lifelong virusMost people carry it quietly, without feeling sick. It shows up more often with gum disease, but why is not known.CytomegalovirusCommon lifelong virusModerate evidence
- A virus most adults carryMore than nine in ten adults carry it quietly for life. Finding it in saliva is normal, not a sign of illness.Epstein–Barr virusCommon lifelong virusModerate evidenceStudied beyond the mouth: Brain
Chemistry (3)
Not germs. These checks look at acid levels and how well saliva helps protect teeth.
- How acidic your saliva isNot a germ. It shows how near your mouth is to the acid level that harms the hard outer layer of teeth.Salivary pHSaliva measurementStrong evidence
- How well saliva cancels out acidNot a germ. It shows how well your saliva cancels out acid before the acid can harm your teeth.Buffering capacitySaliva measurementModerate evidence
- How much saliva you makeNot a germ. Saliva washes away food and acid. When there is too little, acid stays longer and your mouth feels dry.Saliva flowSaliva measurementStrong evidence
Because not all microbes are equal.
P. gingivalis is a consensus gum-disease pathogen with decades of human data. EBV is a virus more than 90% of adults carry and shed in saliva without being ill. Both can show up on the same report, so every page grades the evidence and says what a result does and does not mean.
- Strongly tied to disease
- Linked to disease
- Helpful
- Usually harmless
- Common lifelong virus
- Saliva measurement
Reviewed by OneOral Clinical Team · Every claim cited to PubMed
What the role colours mean
- Strongly tied to diseaseEstablished pathogen
- Consistently found in disease across many human studies and named in consensus classifications.
- Linked to diseaseAssociated organism
- Rises with disease in human studies, but its exact role is still being worked out.
- HelpfulBeneficial resident
- A normal member of healthy plaque. Here, more is generally better.
- Usually harmlessOpportunist
- Harmless for most people most of the time; causes trouble when conditions shift.
- Common lifelong virusLatent virus
- Carried for life by most adults and shed in saliva. Detection is not illness.
- Saliva measurementSaliva measurement
- Not an organism. A property of your saliva that shapes the whole community.
How evidence is graded
- Strong evidence
- Large human studies, longitudinal cohorts or consensus reports agree on its role.
- Moderate evidence
- Consistent human associations, with mechanism supported mainly by lab work.
- Emerging evidence
- Promising human data, but causation is not established.
- Limited evidence
- Mostly case reports, small samples or lab and animal work.
Know the science before you worry about a number.
One saliva sample measures all 20 markers. A licensed dentist reviews your results with you and helps put them into a plan.
This library is educational. The Bio Test describes the organisms and measurements in a saliva sample; reference ranges are for context and are not diagnostic thresholds. Results do not diagnose disease or replace an in-person dental examination.