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LONDON, Jul 26, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- British researchers this week report they have isolated bacteria that grow in mouths and that are linked to bad breath.
Ann Wood and her colleagues at Kings College London said such smelly, highly reactive "one-carbon" compounds are naturally produced from the breakdown of sulfur-containing amino acids.
Scientists report odor-eating methylotrophic bacteria were isolated from the tongue, tooth and gum-edge plaques of volunteers. They include strains of Bacillus, Brevibacterium casei, Hyphomicrobium sulfonivorans1, Methylobacterium, Micrococcus luteus and Variovorax paradoxus.
The study determined methylotrophic bacteria are part of people's normal oral microbial environment or "microflora."
The researchers found no difference between strains of bacteria found in the mouths of healthy volunteers and those suffering from progressive gum disease.
In a previous study, Wood determined feet are also a source of methylated sulphides and strains of such odor-eating bacteria, including Brevibacterium and Methylobacterium, are also part of the normal microbial flora found on feet.
The findings are detailed in the August issue of Environmental Microbiology.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
