Breath-odor evaluation by detection of volatile sulfur compounds--correlation with organoleptic odor ratings.

Volatile sulfur compounds are known to be major contributors to oral malodor, and their detection by gas chromatography (GC) is a commonly used method for evaluating breath odor in clinical trials. A custom-designed breath-sampling GC system was developed for this purpose. A clinical study was performed to compare the performance of this instrumental method to organoleptic evaluation by trained odor judges. A statistically significant correlation was found between the measured levels of volatile sulfurs and the ratings of the odor judges. Both methods performed similarly in evaluating the breath-freshening effects of two test products. These results demonstrate the strength of the GC method for evaluating breath odor and predicting the breath-freshening effects of oral-care products.

Clinical comparison of Colgate Total Advanced Fresh vs a commercially available fluoride breath-freshening toothpaste in reducing breath odor overnight: a multiple-use study.

The objective of this randomized, crossover study was to compare the effectiveness of Colgate Total Advanced Fresh toothpaste to a commercially available breath-freshening dentifrice containing fluoride for its ability to reduce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) responsible for breath odor overnight. The study followed a two-treatment, two-period crossover design. Subjects were given a test product, along with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and instructed to brush their teeth for 1 minute, twice daily (once in the morning and the evening) using the assigned dentifrice for 7 consecutive days. After their evening brushing on the seventh day, subjects reported to the testing facility without oral hygiene, eating, or drinking for the overnight evaluation. After a washout period, subjects repeated the same regimen, now using the other test product. The levels of breath VSC were evaluated instrumentally using a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame photometric detector.

Applications of polymers in dentifrices and mouthrinses.

This review highlights the specific applications of polymers in oral hygiene products. Specific examples are provided to show how polymers can be used to improve retention and release of active agents for therapeutic effects in an oral environment where the residence time of the actives is low, owing to the continuous flow of saliva which washes them away. Polymers are uniquely suited as active therapy for intraoral applications and as replacement agents for augmenting the macromolecule's deficiency (saliva) caused in the aging mouth. It is expected that the next generation of products and delivery systems will be based on polymers derived from natural sources and will have functions such as enamel replacement agents for caries control, adhesion macromolecules for gingival tissue attachment to teeth, saliva mucin replacement, and the delivery of new active agents using biopolymers.