Relation between counts of periodontopathic bacteria in the tongue coat of healthy subjects and the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds in their breath

The substances that cause physiological halitosis have been found to be mainly volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) [hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methylmercaptan (CH3SH) and dimethylsulfide (CH3)2S] produced by putrefaction of anaerobic bacteria. In order to clarify the role of these periodontopathic bacteria in halitosis, we investigated the amounts of four species of bacteria, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in 10 μl of the tongue coats of healthy people using quantitative PCR and examined the correlation with the concentrations of VSCs present in the subject's breath (physiological halitosis). The following results were obtained.1.H2S in the oral breath of the subjects showed a positive correlation with the detected counts of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia, P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum and the total bacteria.2.CH3SH in the oral breath of the subjects showed a positive correlation with the detected count of P. gingivalis.3.(CH3)2S in the oral breath of the subjects showed a positive correlation with the detected counts of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia and total bacteria.4.The concentrations of VSCs in the oral breath of the subjects showed a positive correlation with the total count of bacteria.These results suggest that periodontopathic bacteria present in the tongue coat of healthy people might be the cause of physiological halitosis.