Bad breath is the bane of many people’s lives, but a new way to cure this could be found right in our homes, using bacteria found in fermented food like yoghurt, sourdough bread or miso soup.
A new study published in the journal BMJ Open has linked certain probiotic bacteria to the dispelling of bad breath (halitosis). While these bacteria can be found in common foods, the study looks at their effectiveness as supplements.
The four bacteria known as Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus salivarius, and Weissella cibariawere taken in the form of supplements, resulting in fresher breath.
Bad breath is normally caused due to volatile sulphuric compounds, produced by bacteria in the mouth mixing with food debris. While there are plenty of available ways to try and tackle this, the use of probiotic bacteria could offer an easier alternative.
To address the effectiveness of these bacteria, scientists looked through research databases for relevant clinical trials published up to February 2021.
In total, they analysed studies including 278 people aged between 19 and 70. In these studies, bad breath was defined by levels of volatile sulphuric compounds detected in the mouth using the Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) score – a measure of breath odour at various distances from the mouth.
The data from these studies showed a significant reduction in the OLP scores of those given probiotics, compared to the control groups. Similar results were found in the other measure of bad breath, with lower levels of volatile sulphuric compounds being detected, however these results were relatively short lived with no noticeable difference after four weeks.
While there was a reduction in smell, there was no significant change in plaque or dirt on the tongue – two common factors in bad breath. This suggests that the probitoics may inhibit the decomposition of amino acids in the mouth, curbing the production of smelly by-products.
While the study offers real-world methods for dealing with bad breath, the researchers warn caution.
“This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that probiotics (eg, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus salivarius and Weissella cibaria) may ease halitosis by reducing the [volatile sulphuric compound] concentration levels in the short term, but there is no significant effect on the major causes of halitosis, such as plaque and tongue coating,” they write.
“More high-quality randomised clinical trials are required in the future to verify the results and to provide evidence for the efficacy of probiotics in the management of halitosis,” they add.
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