sodium-bicarbonate and Halitosis

Toothbrushing with toothpaste is the most widely used method of home dental care for the populations of the Western world. The traditional role of toothpaste is primarily cosmetic, in aiding the cleaning of teeth and producing fresh breath. Today, however, formulations contain ingredients which may also help oral health by way of reducing dental plaque and improving gingival/periodontal health. This article provides a short review on the usefulness of these chemicals when used primarily in toothpastes.

Topics: Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Chlorhexidine; Dental Deposits; Halitosis; Humans; Oxidants; Periodontal Diseases; Plant Extracts; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Salivary Proteins and Peptides; Sodium Bicarbonate; Tin Fluorides; Toothpastes; Triclosan; Zinc Compounds

Oral malodor, also known as bad breath or halitosis, is an extremely common problem. Bad breath can arise from many sources in the body, but most frequently is produced in the mouth by the action of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria on sulfur-containing proteinaceous substrates in the saliva, such as debris and plaque. The primary molecules responsible for oral malodor are volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide and methylmercaptan. Increased malodor production is related to greater bacterial numbers, reducing conditions, availability of protein substrates, and a pH above neutral. Bad breath is more common in the elderly, as well as those with unhygienic mouths, gingivitis, and periodontitis, but bad breath can also be found in some individuals who are periodontally healthy. The major source of oral malodor is the tongue. Approaches to controlling malodor have included masking, oral hygiene, antibacterial agents, conversion of VSC to nonodorous forms, oxidizing agents, and traditional approaches, including the use of backing soda. Results of controlled double-blind crossover studies, using both organoleptic (sensory) and gas chromatographic analysis of mouth air VSC, indicate that two dentifrices with high baking-soda concentrations, Arm & Hammer Dental Care and Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare, reduce oral malodor.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Bacteria, Anaerobic; Breath Tests; Chromatography, Gas; Cross-Over Studies; Dentifrices; Double-Blind Method; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydrogen Sulfide; Sodium Bicarbonate; Statistics, Nonparametric; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Toothpastes

Oral malodor is mainly caused by the presence of volatile sulfur-containing compounds (VSC) produced by proteolytic periodontopathic bacteria in the oral cavity. Different solutions have been used as mouthrinses, trying to reduce malodor, and a large number is on the market. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of three commercially available mouthrinses with a simple inexpensive solution of zinc (zinc acetate 0.1%) on the production of VSC in vivo. Two of the solutions contained triclosan, one of them with fluoride and the other with sodium bicarbonate, and the third one contained herbal components. Seven healthy subjects rinsed with cysteine to induce production of VSC at baseline. After halitosis induction and VSC measurements, the subjects rinsed with the test solution, and mouth airVSC analyses were then performed by means of gas chromatography subsequent to repeated cysteine rinses after 30, 60, and 120 min. The data were calculated as percentage reduction of VSC from baseline. The percentage reduction of VSC decreased over time for all experimental groups. Zinc acetate had clearly the highest percentage reduction, starting from 95.68% at 30 min and with 69.27% after 2 h. The three other mouthrinses produced a VSC reduction of 23.92% 49.86% after 30 min, decreasing to 13.06%-37.09% after 2 h. One-way ANOVA (P = 0.05) was applied, and comparisons showed no differences between the commercially available solutions, but zinc acetate was significantly better than these. It may be concluded that some commercial mouthrinses are markedly less effective than a simple and cheap solution of zinc acetate.

Topics: Adult; Chromatography, Gas; Cross-Over Studies; Cysteine; Drug Combinations; Fluorides; Halitosis; Humans; Middle Aged; Mouthwashes; Plant Extracts; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfur Compounds; Treatment Outcome; Triclosan; Zinc Acetate

Published research indicates that regular use of toothpaste containing sodium bicarbonate is effective in reducing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and oral malodor. Gaffar initially reported on the use of sodium bicarbonate as an agent to affect VSCs, indicating that sodium bicarbonate had the potential to alter the VSCs to nonvolatile compounds. Chewing gum would also be suspected of providing benefits in controlling oral malodor through its claimed ability to mechanically aid in the removal of dental plaque. Based on the length of chewing time, the opportunity exists for chewing gum to reach places in the mouth that might be missed during brushing. This activity could contribute to reductions in the amount of viable plaque mass that could produce VSCs.

Topics: Adult; Breath Tests; Chewing Gum; Cross-Over Studies; Dental Plaque; Female; Halitosis; Humans; Male; Reproducibility of Results; Single-Blind Method; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfur Compounds; Treatment Outcome

Chronic oral malodor is a serious concern for about one-fifth of the North American population, and a field of emerging research interest. The present three studies, one involving gas chromatography and two employing odor judge assessment, examined the efficacy of baking soda and other toothpastes in reducing breath odor. The most common cause of oral malodor is elevated levels of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC's), primarily hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), in the breath. Gas chromatography, an accurate means of measuring breath VSC, was employed to evaluate the breath levels of VSC in 11 men after brushing with baking soda-containing dentifrices with or without the addition of Zn++. Dentifrices with either Zn++ or a concentration of baking soda 20% or greater significantly reduced VSC levels. The addition of Zn++ to baking soda dentifrices enhanced the anti-odor effects. In the first organoleptic study, dentifrices containing 20% baking soda and 30% baking soda demonstrated significantly greater ability to reduce breath odor than a standard sodium fluoride/silica dentifrice. The subjects' baseline mouth odor evaluations, initially rated as strong, declined after brushing with the baking soda toothpastes to a barely detectable level at one hour, then rising to a faint level at two hours and moderate levels at three hours. In the second organoleptic study, a dentifrice containing 65% baking soda demonstrated significantly greater ability to reduce breath odor than a standard sodium fluoride/silica tartar control dentifrice, but did not differ significantly from a standard dentifrice containing 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate in a dicalcium phosphate dihydrate base. The results of these studies indicate that dentifrices containing 20% or more baking soda can confer a significant odor-reducing benefit for time periods up to three hours.

Topics: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Chromatography, Gas; Chronic Disease; Cross-Over Studies; Dentifrices; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Sulfide; Male; Middle Aged; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Toothbrushing; Zinc Compounds

Oral malodor, also known as bad breath or halitosis, is an extremely common problem. Bad breath can arise from many sources in the body, but most frequently is produced in the mouth by the action of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria on sulfur-containing proteinaceous substrates in the saliva, such as debris and plaque. The primary molecules responsible for oral malodor are volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide and methylmercaptan. Increased malodor production is related to greater bacterial numbers, reducing conditions, availability of protein substrates, and a pH above neutral. Bad breath is more common in the elderly, as well as those with unhygienic mouths, gingivitis, and periodontitis, but bad breath can also be found in some individuals who are periodontally healthy. The major source of oral malodor is the tongue. Approaches to controlling malodor have included masking, oral hygiene, antibacterial agents, conversion of VSC to nonodorous forms, oxidizing agents, and traditional approaches, including the use of backing soda. Results of controlled double-blind crossover studies, using both organoleptic (sensory) and gas chromatographic analysis of mouth air VSC, indicate that two dentifrices with high baking-soda concentrations, Arm & Hammer Dental Care and Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare, reduce oral malodor.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Bacteria, Anaerobic; Breath Tests; Chromatography, Gas; Cross-Over Studies; Dentifrices; Double-Blind Method; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydrogen Sulfide; Sodium Bicarbonate; Statistics, Nonparametric; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Toothpastes

Oral malodor, also known as bad breath or halitosis, is an extremely common problem. Bad breath can arise from many sources in the body, but most frequently is produced in the mouth by the action of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria on sulfur-containing proteinaceous substrates in the saliva, such as debris and plaque. The primary molecules responsible for oral malodor are volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide and methylmercaptan. Increased malodor production is related to greater bacterial numbers, reducing conditions, availability of protein substrates, and a pH above neutral. Bad breath is more common in the elderly, as well as those with unhygienic mouths, gingivitis, and periodontitis, but bad breath can also be found in some individuals who are periodontally healthy. The major source of oral malodor is the tongue. Approaches to controlling malodor have included masking, oral hygiene, antibacterial agents, conversion of VSC to nonodorous forms, oxidizing agents, and traditional approaches, including the use of baking soda. Results of controlled double-blind crossover studies, using both organoleptic (sensory) and gas chromatographic analysis of mouth air VSC, indicate that two dentifrices with high baking-soda concentrations, Arm & Hammer Dental Care and Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare, reduce oral malodor.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Chromatography, Gas; Cross-Over Studies; Dental Deposits; Dental Plaque; Dentifrices; Double-Blind Method; Gingivitis; Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Sulfide; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Middle Aged; Oral Hygiene; Oxidants; Periodontitis; Saliva; Smell; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Sulfur Compounds; Time Factors; Tongue

The potential of hydrogen peroxide to reduce the levels of salivary thiol precursors of oral malodor was investigated in-vitro and in-vivo. In both cases the concentration of thiol groups was determined colorimetrically by quantitative reaction with 4,4'-bis (dimethylamino) diphenyl carbinol. Addition of volumes of hydrogen peroxide solution (containing between 0.18 and 0.90 mmol) to premeasured aliquots of saliva in-vitro, resulted in reductions in salivary thiol levels of between 53% and 75% compared to controls. This positive indication prompted an in-vivo investigation. The efficacy of a fluoride-containing test toothpaste also containing 0.67% hydrogen peroxide and 5.48% sodium bicarbonate was evaluated in a crossover study using ten male and female subjects (non-smokers). All subjects used the test product and a control fluoride dentifrice, in a random order. For the duration of the study subjects used a standard silica based toothpaste containing 1500 ppm F (as sodium monofluorophosphate) exclusively for their normal oral hygiene. On each sampling morning they refrained from oral hygiene and eating and drinking on rising. At the test facility they generated a background saliva sample stimulated by chewing unflavored, unsweetened gum. Subjects brushed for 1 minute with 1.50 (+/- 0.05) g test or control paste and generated another saliva sample as before, 30 minutes after product application. Using the same analytical procedures the mean (+/- SEM) percent reduction in salivary thiol levels post treatment compared to baseline was found to be 59.0 (+/- 7.0)% for the test product compared with 12.5 (+/- 5.2)% for the fluoride control paste.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Bicarbonates; Disulfides; Female; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Male; Saliva; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Toothpastes

Topics: Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Biosensing Techniques; Chlorhexidine; Chlorine Compounds; Chromatography, Gas; Dehydroascorbic Acid; Dental Disinfectants; Halitosis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Mouthwashes; Odorants; Oils, Volatile; Oral Hygiene; Oxides; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sulfur Compounds