In Vitro Study: Probiotic Strain May Help Bad Breath

A University of Basel study published in the Archives of Oral Biology has confirmed that BLIS K12, a branded probiotic strain of Streptococcus salivarius, may inhibit the bacteria responsible for halitosis. The study confirmed positive effects reported in an earlier 2006 23-subject study, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology (vol. 100 (2006) 754–764), which showed Streptococcus salivarius reduced the levels of volatile sulfur compounds in exhaled breath responsible for chronic oral malodor and halitosis.

Stratum Nutrition (St. Charles, MO), which began distributing BLIS K12 in February as part of its product portfolio, reported the results of the recently published University of Basel study-an in vitro study. (Masdea L et al., "Antimicrobial activity of Streptococcus salivarius K12 on bacteria involved in oral malodour," Archives of Oral Biology (2012), doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2012.02.011).

The study investigated BLIS K12’s antimicrobial activity against several bacteria involved in halitosis, including Solobacterium moorei, Atopobium parvulum, and Eubacterium sulci. BLIS K12 did inhibit all tested bacteria responsible for malodor, although at different levels.

“Preventing the re-growth of odour-causing organisms through the pre-emptive colonisation of the oral cavity with non-odorous, commensal microorganism may be a reasonable alternative to chemical or physical antibacterial regimens,” the study’s authors wrote.

“We believe that the data in this model strongly points to beneficial effect in the human oral cavity, and we expect further human studies to confirm this effect,” stated Barry Richardson, PhD, chief executive at BLIS K12’s developer BLIS Technologies.