Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
05:23
Gastric Mucosa Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis for Detecting Helicobacter pylori and Antibiotic Resistance
Published on: March 7, 2025
Halitosis and Helicobacter pylori infection
A Tangerman1, E G Winkel, L de Laat
1Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, Department of Periodontology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. atangerman@hotmail.com
Journal of Breath Research
|February 28, 2012
Summary
This study found no link between Helicobacter pylori infection and bad breath (halitosis). Objective breath tests confirmed halitosis originates in the mouth, not the stomach, regardless of H. pylori status.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Oral Medicine
- Microbiology
Background:
- Disagreement exists regarding Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection's link to objective halitosis.
- Previous studies often relied on subjective self-reported halitosis, lacking reliability.
- Objective measurement of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) is crucial for accurate halitosis assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between H. pylori infection and objective halitosis.
- To determine if halitosis originates from the stomach or oral cavity.
- To compare VSC levels in patients with and without gastric pathology.
Main Methods:
- Measured hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S), methyl mercaptan (MM), and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in mouth and stomach air using gas chromatography (GC).
- Assessed halitosis via organoleptic scoring (OLS) of mouth breath.
- Included 11 H. pylori positive and 38 H. pylori negative patients with gastric pathology, plus controls.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in VSC levels in mouth or stomach air between H. pylori positive and negative patients.
- OLS identified halitosis in 9 patients, with no statistically significant difference between H. pylori groups.
- VSC concentrations in stomach air were generally below objectionability thresholds, suggesting a non-gastric origin for halitosis.
Conclusions:
- This study found no association between H. pylori infection and objective halitosis.
- Halitosis, objectively measured, primarily originates within the oral cavity.
- Gastric pathology and H. pylori infection do not appear to be significant causes of halitosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy
Helicobacter pylori, a resilient gram-negative bacterium, can thrive in the stomach's harsh, acidic environment. Infection with H. pylori leads to a cascade of events within the stomach lining. One of the critical disruptions caused by this bacterium is the interference with somatostatin production, a hormone responsible for regulating acid secretion. This interference tips the balance, escalating acid secretion and diminishing bicarbonate levels. This imbalance compromises the defensive...
01:26Gastritis II: Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of gastritis begins with the colonization of the stomach lining by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium spreads mainly via the oral-oral route through saliva or shared utensils, and can also be transmitted in overcrowded or unhygienic environments through contaminated water, despite its brief survival outside the body.ColonizationOnce ingested, H. pylori enters the stomach and begins colonization by navigating through the mucus layer lining the stomach wall. It...
01:27Peptic Ulcer
Peptic ulcers are erosive lesions of the gastric or duodenal lining, most commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. This Gram-negative, helical bacterium has adapted to survive the stomach’s acidic environment by producing urease, which converts urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia neutralizes gastric acid in the bacterium’s immediate environment, allowing colonization of the gastric mucosa. H. pylori attaches to mucus-secreting epithelial cells, penetrates the mucus...
01:30Peptic Ulcer Disease I: Introduction
Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) is characterized by mucosal excavation in the esophagus, stomach, pylorus, or duodenum. It can manifest as acute or chronic based on the extent and duration of mucosal involvement.
An acute ulcer, marked by superficial erosion and minimal inflammation, swiftly resolves upon identifying and addressing the underlying cause. In contrast, a chronic ulcer persists, potentially eroding through the muscular wall and forming fibrous tissue.
Peptic ulcers can also be...
An acute ulcer, marked by superficial erosion and minimal inflammation, swiftly resolves upon identifying and addressing the underlying cause. In contrast, a chronic ulcer persists, potentially eroding through the muscular wall and forming fibrous tissue.
Peptic ulcers can also be...
01:25Peptic Ulcer Disease I: Introduction
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) involves breaks in the gastrointestinal tract's mucosal lining, primarily in the stomach and duodenum, with less frequent occurrences in the lower esophagus or near the pylorus.Ulcers can be acute or chronic. Acute ulcers are short-lived with minimal inflammation and heal quickly after the irritant is removed. Chronic ulcers persist, may recur, and often cause scarring due to ongoing tissue damage. Superficial erosions affect only the mucosal layer and are called...
01:24Peptic Ulcer Disease II: Pathophysiology
Peptic ulcer disease develops when protective mechanisms of the gastrointestinal mucosa are overwhelmed by harmful factors, leading to localized erosions in the stomach or proximal duodenum. The main causes are Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).Helicobacter pylori–Induced InjuryBacterial Adaptation and Colonization:H. pylori is a spiral, Gram-negative bacterium adapted to the acidic stomach. and transmitted through oral-oral or...