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J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 30, 241-247 (July/August 1979) Instrumental evaluation of odor produced by specific oral microorganisms MARIA C. SOLIS-GAFFAR, THOMAS J. FISCHER and ABDUL GAFFAR Colgate-Palmolive Research Center, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Received November 8, 1978. Presented at 56th General Session, International Assodation for Dental Research, March 1978, IVashington, D.C. Synopsis The purpose of this STUDY was to determine the role of SPECIFIC ORAL MICROORGANISMS in the FORMATION of the odoriferous components associated with human mouth ODOR. Eight gram- positive and four gram-negative microorganisms were individually incubated anaerobically for 3 hr or 24 hr in a sterile saliva system with L-cysteine or L-methionine as the exogenous substrate. After the period of incubation, the headspace was analyzed by a sensitive gas chromatography-flame photometric instrumental technique for the presence of the volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide. The results indicated that only the gram-negative organisms, Veillonella alcalescens, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Bacteroides melaninogenicus and Klebsiella pneumoniae produced VSC from the incubated systems. The gram-positive organisms, S. mutans, S. sanguis, S. salivarius, S. faecalis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and A. naeslundii failed to produce VSC. An unpleasant odor was detected organoleptically when VSC was produced in the incubated systems. Moreover, VSC production by these gram-negative organisms was accompanied by an increase in pH of the reaction mixture. Except for Klebsiella pneumoniae, the other gram-negative organisms tested needed the presence of blood for the production of VSC. However, the gram-positive organisms even with the addition of blood did not form VSC. VSC chromatograms were similar to the data obtained from the analysis of human mouth air samples. INTRODUCTION Microorganisms have a role in producing intrinsic oral realodor. McNamara et al. (1) found that gram-negative anaerobes and not the gram-positive flora could produce odor in vitro. However, they evaluated the odor organoleptically and did not attempt to investigate the compounds responsible for the malodor. Tonzetich (2) showed that volatile sulfur compounds, namely hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide are major components in human mouth odor as well as in the headspace of putrefied saliva. He used a sensitive gas chromatography-flame photometric instrumental technique to detect these compounds. We have shown this 241