Coffee extract can inhibit the bacteria that lead to bad breath, according to new research from Tel Aviv University (TAU).
"Everybody thinks that coffee causes bad breath and it's often true, because coffee, which has a dehydrating effect in the mouth, becomes potent when mixed with milk and can ferment into smelly substances," said lead researcher Mel Rosenberg of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine in a press release.
"Contrary to our expectations, we found some components in coffee that actually inhibit bad breath," he added.
The findings were presented in May to members of the International Society for Breath Odor Research in Germany.
In the laboratory, the researchers monitored the bacterial odor production of coffee in saliva.
In the study, three different brands of coffee were tested: the Israeli brand Elite coffee, Landwer Turkish coffee, and Taster's Choice. Rosenberg expected to demonstrate the malodor-causing effect of coffee in an in vitro saliva assay developed by Sarit Levitan, Ph.D., M.Sc. Surprisingly, the extracts had the opposite effect.
Rosenberg said he would like to isolate the bacterial-inhibiting molecule to reap the biggest antibacterial benefits from coffee. His discovery could be the foundation for an entirely new class of mouthwashes, breath mints, and gum. Purified coffee extract could be added to a breath mint to stop bacteria from forming, stopping bad breath at its source instead of masking the smell with a mint flavor.
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