The science of probiotics is a growing area of research that has now extended to include bad breath probiotics. The idea is that communities of bacteria in any ecosystem should live in balance with each other, and that anything that affects only some of the bacteria will throw the balance off. This approach has already been used in some types of aquaculture where the proliferation of dangerous bacteria can render the product dangerous for humans to eat. The addition of good bacteria to counter the bad restores a kind of balance. The same approach has been used in natural medicine, and even in some instances of conventional medicine, where antibiotics or other processes have upset the balance of normal bacteria in the body. If you have persistent diarrhea, for example, taking capsules of 'friendly' bowel bacteria can restore things to normal.

In the case of bad breath probiotics, the theory is the same. If halitosis is caused by the proliferation of too many anaerobic bacteria in the mouth producing foul smelling volatile sulfur compounds, then the addition of 'friendly,' non-odor producing bacteria should drive the anaerobes out and establish a normal balance of oral bacteria. It's an appealing approach because it does not involve the use of drugs, and the beneficial bacteria can be obtained in capsule form. If you have bad breath, the bug to take is Streptococcus salivarius.

It's not just any Streptococcus salivarius however - this species of bacteria includes many different strains, some of which are implicated in tooth decay and, rarely, various types of infection. There is one specific strain that reportedly fights odor-producing bacteria in the mouth: BLIS Streptococcus salivarius K12. BLIS stands for bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances, or substances naturally produced by the bacterium that limit the growth of other bacteria. Interestingly, this same strain has been found to inhibit the growth of the Streptococcus species that causes strept throat, so it may have value in more than just bad breath probiotics.

The probiotic approach holds much promise for the management of many health and environmental situations where circumstances have thrown a healthy balance off kilter. Though it is not always clear what has affected the ecology of the mouth, the use of antibiotics for some other condition may be a factor (many antibiotics kill some types of bacteria, like Streptococcus salivarius, and other organisms, while leaving others unharmed). The use of more antibacterial products to tackle the halitosis, therefore, may simply upset the balance further. A bad breath probiotic approach, rather than an antibiotic approach, may be the best solution.