Scientists say certain bacteria jump-start halitosis

Eliminating bad breath is about much more than simply avoiding or brushing away pungent food. On the contrary, using specialty breath freshening product after even the harshest-smelling meal is likely to neutralize the odors associated with halitosis. Besides, the odiferous enemy isn't food. According to a group of Japanese scientists, it's certain strains of bacteria.

Researchers at Kyushu Dental College's Department of Preventive Dentistry recently published a study in which they analyzed the saliva and breath of 101 subjects. The team took care to take microbial samples from the mouths of all participants, and the resulting findings appear in the International Dental Journal.

The team noted that patients with halitosis tended to have two factors in common. The first was that their mouths had high levels of volatile sulfur compounds, which are molecules created by oral microbes as they digest proteins and sugars in the mouth.

The second characteristic in common was the strains of bacteria themselves. Researchers found that the presence of certain microorganisms strongly predicted how badly and individual's breath smelled.

In particular, the group noticed that the species Bacteroides forsythus, a common cause of aggressive periodontal disease, was most strongly associated with bad breath.

To get rid of harmful bacteria, it may be best to try a probiotic product, such as an M-18 Probiotic Kit, in order to replace odor-causing microbes with more constructive ones.