0 items ($0.00)
Please wait...
ARTICLESJan 31, 2012
Nov 22, 2010
April 2013 (7)
March 2013 (7)
February 2013 (9)
January 2013 (11)
December 2012 (8)
November 2012 (10)
October 2012 (9)
September 2012 (7)
August 2012 (7)
July 2012 (13)
June 2012 (9)
May 2012 (13)
April 2012 (12)
March 2012 (10)
February 2012 (12)
January 2012 (11)
December 2011 (12)
November 2011 (13)
October 2011 (12)
September 2011 (10)
August 2011 (15)
July 2011 (19)
June 2011 (17)
May 2011 (17)
April 2011 (18)
March 2011 (21)
February 2011 (20)
January 2011 (19)
December 2010 (18)
November 2010 (13)
October 2010 (14)
September 2010 (14)
August 2010 (12)
July 2010 (12)
June 2010 (6)
Think you know what makes bad breath stink? According to a study in the Journal of Dental Research, you probably don't know the half of it.
Belgian scientists from the Catholic University of Leuven went about picking halitosis into its constituent elements by using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, two sulfur monitors and organoleptically - meaning, by nose.
They came to some pretty stark conclusions. Researchers have long known that the odor of bad breath comes from volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), which are sulfur-based molecules that communicate to your nose the smells of things like feet, cabbage or rotten eggs.
However, besides hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, the two most prominent VSCs emanating from dirty mouths, scientists have been less certain about what other molecules can tinge your breath
Their investigation found that "dimethyl sulfide, di- and trisulfide were increased in persons with breath odor." This means that, for the most part, the compounds that make sweet breath sour are all very similar to one another.
Fortunately, specialty breath fresheners, oral care probiotic kits, tongue scrapers and VSC-neutralizing rinses exist to wash away such unpleasant odors.
