Bad Breath & The Battle of Bacteria

Bad Breath & The Battle of Bacteria
From HealthSouth News
By Gary Gately

Do you have bad breath, really bad breath? It might not be the garlic or onions, coffee or alcohol. Rather, a new study links it to the types of bacteria that dominate the back portion of the top of your tongue. Some bacteria protect against halitosis, the formal name for really bad breath, while others cause the pungent odor, says a team of researchers from The Forsyth Institute in Boston and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. "I think there's a definite smoking gun here -- that it's a strong association," says lead researcher Bruce Paster, a senior staff member at Forsyth. "There are
the good bacteria and the bad ones. Normal bacteria keep out bacteria from the bad guys." The study, reported in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, relied on gene sequencing to compare bacteria found on the tongues of
those with halitosis and those with fresh breath. Researchers reported species of the same three bacteria were prevalent among five people with fresh breath. The most common of these germs found on these subjects' tongues, Streptococcus salivarius, appeared in only one of six people with halitosis -- and at extremely low levels. About 65 million Americans suffer from halitosis at some point in their lives, the National Institute of Dental Research has estimated. Halitosis differs from the temporary mouth odors caused by foods or drinks. Six species of bacteria were linked to halitosis, and several of those germs were not found in those with fresh breath. The study is part of an ongoing effort to determine genetic sequences for all species of bacteria in the oral cavity. Paster says that the results have been confirmed by still-unreported research involving a larger group of people and adds that forthcoming research will look into possible treatment for halitosis.

About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing dentist that specializes in halitosis treatment. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley founded the Center for Breath Treatment in the San Francisco Bay Area and conducts research on curing halitosis. Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and on their board of directors from 1997 -2014.