Patients testimonials

Researchers at Osaka University Japan pointed to a study that shows what bacteria causes bad breath, the study was published in mSystems.

The study described how the interaction amongst two well-known bacteria led to the formation of a chemical composition that is closely related to bad breath.

What causes bad breath

Let’s face it, nobody wants to have bad breath, the principal causes of bad breath happen when bacteria in your mouth digests substances such as food particles and blood.

In terms of the worst smelling of these methyl mercaptan or CH3SH is created when microbes that exist nearby in the teeth and on the tongues surface create methyl mercaptan.

Up until this study was published little was known about the specific species of bacteria that was principally involved in the process.

Metabolite created by bacterium

The scientists that produced the study determined that a metabolite created by the bacterium commensal oral bacterium Streptococcus Gordon triggers an additional species of bacteria into production of the malodorous compound methyl mercaptan.

The additional species of bacteria that produces a metabolite is known as Fuspbacterium nucleated.

Takeshi Hara the lead author in the scientific study declared that in previous studies that looked at CH₃SH that produced bad oral bacteria only used isolated enzymes or small amounts of culture volume.

In the Osaka University study Takeshi Hara the lead scientist stated that their aim was to create a more real world environment.

This would allow a more thorough investigation into the production of CH₃SH by significant oral bacteria, to find out more about what causes bad breath.

The process to find out more about bad breath

The process to do this involved the researchers developing a large amount in terms of volume anaerobic co-culture structur.

This structure allowed the researchers to be able to gauge interactions between various sets of bacteria that exist in the human mouth.

The structure allowed the researchers to be in a position to evaluate both direct, physical synergies amongst the bacteria.

In addition they could test whether or not these species could have an affect on each other even from some distance, the example given was by secreting active substances.

The results were intriguing

Upon completion of the study to discover what bacteria causes bad breath the senior most author Masae Kuboniwa stated that the results were intriguing.

The research showed that Fusobacterium nucleatum was responsible for producing a large quantity of CH₃SH as a direct response to the other oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii.

The system that was used during the study involved the use of stable isotope tracers to analyse gene expression.

The study proved that S.gordonii does let a substance called ornithine to be released, this release prompts f.nucleatum to make more of the molecule called polyamine.

F.nucleatim cannot produce polyamine without methionine so the heightened production of polyamine activates the methionine salvage channel or path, in turn CH₃SHs production is increased.

These findings on what bacteria causes bad breath as stated by Dr Takeshi Hara would suggest that the making of CH₃SH in the mouth is primarily driven by interactions between F.nucleatum and S.gordonii.

Conclusion

By being in a position to understand how both bacterial organisms work next to each other to cause bad breath could help in the development of new ways to treat bad breath.

Furthermore, many scientific journals have pointed to the fact that bad breath is very often linked to periodontal disease, by being in a stronger position to treat the symptoms of periodontitis could assist in preventing more serious mouth issues into the future.

References

Bacterial interactions in bad breath identified. Br Dent J 236, 515 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7309-8

Alcohol consumption has been on the rise in recent times, does alcohol affect your teeth, the affects of too much alcohol on teeth over a prolonged period of time are quite serious.

Let’s be honest, taking a few drinks at the weekend following a hard weeks work isn’t going to harm your teeth, however the bad news is that drinking alcohol regularly is harmful for your teeth.

Studies on alcohol abuse and teeth

According to one particular study on alcohol abuse, by drinking more than the average amount of alcohol can lead to associated health issues that include not only tooth decay, tooth erosion, gum disease, dry mouth, but also oral cancer.

In addition, heavy consumption of alcohol is closely associated with other health issues.

They include the health of your brain, liver and blood sugar levels not to mention how teeth are affected by the overuse of alcohol.

Perfect Smile Dental Clinic

At Perfect Smile Dental Clinic Hungary we find that some of our patients actually aren’t aware that alcohol affects teeth in so many ways, in fact some even ask “is alcohol bad for teeth”.

Too much alcohol and oral health are inextricably linked, by itself alcohol will not impact teeth directly, however if abused it can have a significant impact on teeth and gums overall.

If you find that your teeth have been affected by alcohol use, contact us at Hungarian Dentists Wexford, we can advise you on the best course of treatment, call Fintan on 0873490104.

How is your mouth affected by alcohol

People want to know how is the mouth affected by alcohol, the most immediate link to alcohol is a condition called xerostomia, better known as dry mouth.

If you suffer from dry mouth, gum disease, or tooth decay and you need something done with your teeth, contact Fintan on 0873490104 for a free advice/consultation with our Hungarian dentists in Wexford.

How does dry mouth come about

Dry mouth comes about because as a diuretic, alcohol makes your body produce more urine, more urine can cause dehydration, dehydration means less saliva, less saliva causes a dry mouth.

Think back to the last time you went for a few drinks, did your mouth feel a little bit dryer the following morning.?

Furthermore, excess alcohol can cause irritation the tissues in your throat and mouth, as a result they become inflamed, the knock on effect is less saliva is produced.

Less saliva flowing in the mouth causes a range of symptoms that include sore throat, difficulties in swallowing, a sticky or dry feeling in the mouth.

Excess alcohol and tooth decay

Excess alcohol and tooth decay are caused by a number of factors, for example:

A. When there is a decrease in saliva flow bacteria that attaches to your tooth enamel isn’t washed off so easily, the process is a strong reason why alcohol consumption can affect your teeth by causing tooth decay.

B. Tooth cavities can be affected by too much alcohol because it metabolizes into sugar, sugar attracts bacteria, bacteria causes tooth cavities in the protective tooth enamel.

Sugary mixers, alcopops, beer, cider, wine, all contain acids that over time will dissolve the protective enamel causing teeth sensitivity or pain.

People with a dependence on alcohol are three times more likely to suffer from tooth decay or tooth loss, alcohol causes plaque build-up on and around teeth.

Gum disease and alcohol

When patients ask does alcohol affect your teeth, one issue that needs to be drawn to your attention is the fact that the immune system is affected by heavy alcohol consumption.

When your immune system is compromised or weakened, your body finds it harder to shake off infections, especially infections in the mouth such as periodontitis otherwise known as gum disease.

At Perfect Smile Dental Clinic in Hungary we find that periodontitis or gum disease is one such frequent long-term effect in over indulgence of alcohol, periodontitis is characterized by gum recession, infection, plaque and bleeding gums.

Gum disease is quite serious, it has links to heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Study on alcohol use and teeth

During 2015 a study on alcohol use and its negative effects was published in the Journal of Periodontology, the number of people assessed totalled 542, a combination of non-drinkers, occasional drinkers and regular drinkers.

Some has periondontal (gum disease) some had no gum disease, some of the findings point to a number of answers to your question does alcohol affect your teeth.

A. People that regularly drank alcohol complained more about bleeding gums than those that were non-drinkers.

B. Regular alcohol users that had pre-existing gum disease noticed a bigger increase in gum disease when consuming alcohol regularly.

C. Social drinkers that didn’t have gum disease reported small pockets between their gums and teeth, measuring 4 millimetres or more more often than people who were non-drinkers.

In conclusion, the study although not a large study does point to the fact that in cases where gum disease isn’t present, alcohol consumption does have a negative effect on your gums in many ways.

References

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/alcohol-and-teeth

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/alcohol-and-teeth