Streptococcus Salivarius Halitosis Study
Extracts from the Journal of
Clinical Microbiology, Feb 2003, p. 558-563
Authors are CE Kazor, PM Mitchell, AM Lee, LN Stokes, WJ
Loesche, FE Dewhirst, and BJ Paster
"The purpose of the study was
to compare the bacteria profiles of the tongue of healthy
subjects and subjects with halitosis by using
culture-independent molecular methods.
Tongue scrapings were analyzed from healthy subjects with no
complaints of halitosis and subjects with halitosis. Those
species most associated with healthy subjects were
Streptococcus salivarius, Rothia mucilaginosa, and an a
species of Eubacterium (strain FTB41). Streptococcus salivarius
was the predominant species in healthy subjects, as it
represented 12 to 40% of the total clones analyzed from each
healthy subject.
Overall, the predominant bacteria on the tongue of healthy
subjects was different from that on the tongue of subjects with
halitosis. Those species most associated with halitosis were
Atopobium parvulum, Eubacterium sulci, Solobacterium moorei. "
We have
summarized the results in an easy to read table below.
| |
Healthy Subjects |
|
Halitosis Subjects |
|
Subject Number
|
H1 |
H2 |
H3 |
H4 |
H5 |
|
M1 |
M2 |
M3 |
M4 |
M5 |
M6 |
|
Breath Reading
|
87 |
160 |
144 |
113 |
132 |
|
350 |
411 |
452 |
642 |
346 |
749 |
|
S. salivarius
count |
41 |
24 |
26 |
12 |
12 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
-
The study
looked at 5 healthy subjects and 6 subjects with halitosis.
-
Breath
readings were taken, with the definition of Halitosis being
a breath reading of sulphur compounds above 200ppb
-
S. salivarius
counts were also taken, with healthy subjects showing
consistently higher numbers of naturally occurring
Streptococcus salivarius.
Results and Discussion
It is noteworthy that S.salivarius was by far the most
predominant species detected in healthy subjects: in one
subject (subject H1), S. salivarius represented more than 40%
of the detectable species. In contrast, S. salivarius was
detected in only one of the subjects with halitosis and was
detected at very low levels.
Conclusion
Whilst
this study was being done by Dr Loesche in USA , Professor
Tagg was doing a totally independent study in Otago, New
Zealand. Both microbiologists came up with the same results
and same conclusions.
Streptococcus
salivarius is a normal bacteria of the mouth that incubates
the subject at day one of birth. In healthy subjects, normal
counts of Streptococcus salivarius is obtained. However in
chronically sick people or people with chronic halitosis,
Streptococcus salivarius is missing.
To read the
complete study you can click on this
Bad Breath and Halitosis Link
|
