See What’s Really Happening Beneath the Surface of Your Smile
Your mouth is home to hundreds of species of bacteria. Most are harmless or even helpful, but certain types are strongly linked to gum disease, tissue inflammation, and bone loss around the teeth. A visual exam and X-rays can show the damage these bacteria cause, but they can’t tell us which bacteria are present or how many. That’s where oral microbiome saliva testing comes in.
At New Face Dentistry, our dental team uses salivary diagnostics to identify the specific bacteria living in your mouth. With a quick, painless saliva rinse, we can uncover hidden risks, explain why gum problems keep returning, and create a treatment plan tailored to your unique oral biology. Patients from Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Brookhaven, and across Atlanta choose saliva testing for a deeper, more personalized understanding of their oral health.
Schedule Your Saliva TestWhat Your Oral Microbiome Reveals About Your Health
The oral microbiome is the community of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that live in your mouth. When this community is balanced, it helps protect your teeth and gums. When harmful bacteria start to outnumber the helpful ones, your risk of gum disease, persistent inflammation, and tooth loss rises.
A saliva test analyzes a sample of your saliva in a specialized laboratory to detect the types and levels of disease-causing bacteria present. Some of these bacteria are highly aggressive and can trigger rapid gum tissue and bone destruction, even in patients who brush and floss diligently. Knowing exactly what you’re dealing with allows our team to target the root cause instead of treating symptoms alone.
The Advantages of Personalized Bacteria Testing
Oral microbiome testing turns guesswork into a clear, science-based plan. Benefits include:
- Identifies the root cause: Pinpoints the specific bacteria driving gum inflammation, bleeding, or infection.
- Enables targeted treatment: Helps our team choose therapies that work against the bacteria in your mouth.
- Explains recurring problems: Reveals why gum disease may keep coming back despite good home care.
- Measures treatment success: Follow-up testing shows whether harmful bacteria have been reduced.
- Supports whole-body wellness: Gives insight into oral bacteria that research has associated with broader health concerns.
- Quick and non-invasive: Requires only a short saliva rinse, with no needles or discomfort.
- Personalizes prevention: Helps shape a home care routine and cleaning schedule built around your risk level.
From a Simple Rinse to a Personalized Plan
Saliva testing is one of the easiest diagnostic tools in dentistry. The sample takes less than a minute to collect, and our team handles everything else. Here’s how the process works:
Is Oral Microbiome Testing Right for You?
Saliva testing can benefit many patients, especially those who want to understand their oral health on a deeper level. Our dental team may recommend it if you:
- Have been diagnosed with gum disease or periodontitis
- Experience gum disease that keeps returning after treatment
- Notice bleeding, swollen, or tender gums
- Have deep periodontal pockets or bone loss around the teeth
- Struggle with persistent bad breath
- Are planning dental implants and want to lower your risk of infection
- Have diabetes, heart disease, or other health conditions linked to inflammation
- Are pregnant or planning a pregnancy
- Have a family history of gum disease or early tooth loss
If you’re unsure whether testing makes sense for you, our team will discuss your history and goals during your next visit.
The Mouth-Body Connection and Why It Matters
A growing body of research links oral health to overall health. The bacteria involved in gum disease can trigger chronic inflammation, and studies have associated periodontal disease with conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and complications during pregnancy. While gum disease doesn’t directly cause these conditions, managing oral inflammation is an important part of supporting your whole-body health.
Microbiome saliva testing gives you and our dental team valuable information about this connection. By identifying high-risk bacteria early and treating them effectively, we can help protect your gums, your teeth, and your long-term wellness.
Take a Closer Look at Your Oral Health Today
If you’re dealing with gum problems that won’t go away, or you simply want a clearer picture of your oral health, microbiome saliva testing can provide answers. Our dental team welcomes patients from Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Brookhaven, and throughout Atlanta to our office at 700 Morosgo Dr NE J – 100, Atlanta, GA 30324.
Call 404-262-9600 or request an appointment online to learn whether oral microbiome testing is right for you.
Request an AppointmentFAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About Microbiome Saliva Testing
An oral microbiome saliva test is a diagnostic test that analyzes a sample of your saliva to identify the bacteria living in your mouth. It focuses on detecting harmful bacteria linked to gum disease, inflammation, and bone loss. The results help our dental team understand the root cause of oral health problems and choose treatments that target those specific bacteria. The test is quick, painless, and completely non-invasive.
The process is simple. You rinse with a small amount of sterile solution for about 30 seconds and then spit it into a collection tube. The sample is sealed and sent to a specialized laboratory for analysis. There are no needles, swabs inside the gums, or uncomfortable procedures involved.
No. Saliva testing is completely painless. Collecting the sample only requires rinsing and spitting, which takes less than a minute. There’s no numbing, no recovery time, and no side effects. Most patients are surprised by how easy it is.
Saliva test results are typically available within one to two weeks, depending on the laboratory. Once your results arrive at our Atlanta office, our team will schedule time to review them with you. We’ll explain your bacteria levels, what they mean for your gum health, and our recommended next steps. You’ll leave with a clear, personalized plan.
Your results show which disease-causing bacteria are present in your mouth and at what levels. Some bacteria are associated with aggressive gum disease and rapid bone loss, while others carry a lower risk. This information helps our dental team understand your risk, explain why problems may keep recurring, and recommend the most effective treatment. Follow-up tests can also show how well treatment is working.
Oral microbiome testing is especially helpful for patients with gum disease, recurring gum infections, deep periodontal pockets, or persistent bad breath. It’s also valuable for patients planning dental implants and for those with diabetes, heart disease, or other inflammation-related conditions. Patients in Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, Brookhaven, and across Atlanta who want a deeper understanding of their oral health are also great candidates. Our team can help you decide if testing is right for you.
It can. Persistent bad breath is often caused by bacteria in the mouth, including bacteria associated with gum disease. A saliva test can help identify whether harmful bacteria are contributing to the problem. If they are, targeted treatment and improved home care can help reduce odor at the source rather than masking it with mints or mouthwash.
Insurance coverage for saliva testing varies by plan, and many dental plans don’t cover it. Our Atlanta team will check your benefits before testing and explain any out-of-pocket costs in advance. Patients without insurance can ask whether their Smile Club membership discount applies. We’ll always make sure you know the cost before moving forward.
Research suggests that the bacteria associated with gum disease can be passed between people through saliva, such as between partners or from parents to children. This is one reason gum disease sometimes appears in several members of the same household. If you’ve been diagnosed with high-risk bacteria, our team may recommend that family members be evaluated too. Treating the household together can help prevent bacteria from being passed back and forth.
