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The bacteria in fermented foods would eliminate bad breath

The bacteria in fermented foods would eliminate bad breath.

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Probiotic bacteria usually found in fermented foods, such as yogurt or sourdough bread, could help dispel lingering bad breath (halitosis), according to a joint analysis of available data published in the open-access journal BMJ open. Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteriStreptococcus salivarius, and Weissella cibaria, taken as supplements in the study, could help freshen breath, but more quality research is needed, say the researchers. Volatile sulfuric compounds are the main cause of persistent bad breath. These compounds are produced by mouth bacteria as a result of bacterial mixing and food debris associated with poor gum and dental hygiene. Options used to address the problem include mouthwash, chewing gum, tooth scaling, and tongue scraping. Emerging data suggest that probiotic bacteria could offer a simpler alternative. To learn more and find out the duration of the effects, the researchers consulted randomized clinical trials published up to February 2021.

 

Research

Out of an initial sample of 238 data, duplication and incomplete data reduced the number of clinical trials suitable for data analysis to 7, involving a total of 278 people. The number of participants in each study was small, from 23 to 68, ranging in age from 19 to 70 years. Monitoring periods ranged from 2 to 12 weeks. Severity of bad breath was defined by levels of volatile sulfur compounds found in the mouth or OLP score, which measures breath odor at various distances from the mouth. Tongue coating scores (3 studies) and plaque index (3 studies) were also included in the analysis, as a dirty tongue and tartar buildup between the teeth are often thought to be the main causes of bad breath. bad. Pooled data analysis showed that OLP scores decreased significantly in subjects administered the probiotics, regardless of the length of the monitoring period.

The reason probiotics do this is because they can inhibit the breakdown of amino acids and proteins by anaerobic bacteria in the mouth, thereby limiting the production of malodorous byproducts, the researchers explain. However, the researchers invoke a note of caution in interpreting their findings. The sample sizes of the included studies were small and some data were incomplete. These factors, in addition to differences in detection methods, bacterial species, and wide variations in clinical trial design and methodology, weaken the results.

“This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that probiotics (e.g., Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus salivarius, and Weissella cibaria) may alleviate bad breath by reducing concentration levels of volatile sulfur compounds in the short term, but there is no no significant effect on major causes of bad breath, such as plaque and tongue coating,” they write.

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“More high-quality randomized clinical trials will be needed in the future to verify the results and provide evidence of the efficacy of probiotics in the management of bad breath,” they add.

 
 

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