Bad Breath Linked to Imbalance of Oral Bacteria, Study Finds
New research suggests that an imbalance in the mouth's natural bacteria may be the cause of bad breath, prompting clinical trials involving saliva transplants.
Bad breath, a condition that affects one in four people, is increasingly being linked to an imbalance in the mouth's natural bacteria, according to recent findings. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, can lead to the overgrowth of harmful bacteria that produce unpleasant odors.
Clinical trials are now exploring novel treatments, including the transfer of saliva from healthy donors to individuals suffering from chronic bad breath. These trials aim to rebalance the oral microbiome, the complex ecosystem of microorganisms residing in the mouth.
‘The oral microbiome could prove to be just as important as the gut microbiome,’ says Dr Lindsey Edwards, a microbiome scientist at King’s College London. Research indicates that, similar to gut bacteria, disruptions in the oral microbiome may be associated with systemic inflammation and certain diseases, including cancer. The investigation into the oral microbiome's role in health and disease is ongoing, with potential implications for a wide range of conditions beyond just halitosis.