Yogurt x 3 Daily

[Guest guest]

Bee, perhaps you could drop this researcher a note to suggest candida as a

cause of halitosis, gum disease, etc.

jo

______________

Reuters Health

By Charnicia E. Huggins

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New study findings suggest that yogurt may be

another weapon in the battle against bad breath.

" Yogurt intake may improve oral hygiene, namely tongue-coating bacteria and

halitosis, " study author Dr. Kenichi Hojo of Tsurumi University in

Yokohama, Japan told Reuters Health.

He and his colleagues found that study participants who consumed 90 grams

of yogurt twice a day for six weeks tended to have lower levels of hydrogen

sulfide and other volatile sulfide compounds that contribute to bad breath.

They presented their findings during the 83rd General Session of the

International Association for Dental Research held last week in Baltimore.

Previous studies have also pointed to the benefits of regular yogurt

consumption. One report found that women who ate yogurt at least three

times a week were less likely to have recently developed a urinary tract

infection than women who ate such probiotic bacteria-containing foods less

than once a week.

Other studies have found that yogurt plays a role in the prevention and

management of bowel disease and other gastrointestinal conditions.

Furthermore, another study showed that people who eat yogurt regularly may

have a lower risk of cavities.

During the first two weeks of Hojo's study, the 24 participants were told

to maintain a diet free of yogurt as well as cheese, pickled vegetables and

any other products that might contain streptococci and lactobacilli.

The participants then consumed sugar-free yogurt fermented with

streptococci and lactobacilli twice daily -- between breakfast and lunch

and between lunch and dinner -- for six weeks. Afterwards, the

investigators analyzed samples collected from the study participants'

saliva and tongue.

They found that most (80 percent) of the study participants identified as

having halitosis had lower levels of volatile sulfide compounds after

eating yogurt every day compared with the earlier two-week period when they

did not eat any yogurt.

These study participants also had significantly less plaque and gingivitis

as a result of their eating yogurt, according to Hojo and his team.

These findings suggest that yogurt intake may reduce the components leading

to halitosis and harmful bacteria, they report.

Whether the grocery-store variety of sugar-free yogurt would be just as

beneficial, however, remains to be seen. " I do not know that any sugar-free

plain-flavored yogurt (would) have the same effect, " Hojo said.

Hojo and his team also have not yet determined how or why yogurt

consumption had such an effect on halitosis. " In the future, " he said, " I

will focus on the mechanism of that effect. "

jo harper

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