Stem cell research reveals key role for bad breath

Japanese researchers find compound responsible for halitosis may help in development of valuable treatmentsThe compound responsible for bad breath may help speed the development of stem cells from dental pulp into valuable treatments for patients, according to Japanese researchers.Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), the noxious mix that smells of rotten eggs and is a major cause of halitosis, appears to help transform the cells into liver cells, said a team from Nippon Dental University, Tokyo. It collected stem cells from the pulp – the central part of the tooth made up of connective tissue and cells – from patients undergoing routine extractions before separating them into a group incubated in an H2S chamber and a control group.They were analysed after three, six and nine days, to see whether they changed into liver cells and tested for their effectiveness, including the ability to store glycogen, which is converted to glucose when the body...

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