Fight bad breath with bacteria

It's no surprise that bad breath on a first date is a major turnoff for men and women - who would want to sit close to someone with smelly breath? While carrying along sugarfree gum and natural breath mints can help any mouth stay minty fresh, there are plenty of ways to kick halitosis before it even starts.

Probiotics have been a buzz word in the past few years because of their ability to fight bad bacteria in our bodies. But more recently, research is showing that oral care probiotics are great for our mouths. The bad odor that originates in our mouths comes from the bacteria that is left behind by food or that comes from the gastrointestinal tract. By using oral care probiotics, you can neutralize the bacteria that causes halitosis. Since probiotics are natural, it won't cause any adverse effects on the mouth or body, either.

Benefits of probiotics
Probiotics can eliminate several oral health issues, including reversing harmful bacteria in the mouth while promoting good breath. Bad bacteria is replaced with good bacteria with the use of probiotics. These supplements are often comprised of one or more Lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus bulgaricus, bifidobacterium species and streptococcus thermophilus cultures - all of which are often found in dairy and nondairy products. Intestinal imbalances are often the cause of bad breath because the acid doesn't stay down in your stomach, and these bacteria help the digestion process.

Probiotic gum
In early 2012, a research team at the University of Copenhagen found that bad breath levels were slightly reduced by the use of probiotic gum. The team tested a group of 19- to 25-year-olds who suffered from bad breath. Sixteen individuals received the probiotic and 12 were given a placebo. The researchers tested the levels of volatile sulfur compounds and found no difference; however the organoleptic scores were measured to find the effects.

Researchers believe that probiotics are expected to become an up and coming functional ingredient in gum and mints. Because the study was performed in a short time span, researchers believe that it is necessary to do a similar study over a long period of time to evaluate the microbial profile of oral microbiota, according to Nutra Ingredients.