Thumb-sized device quickly “sniffs” bad breath

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In case you forget about peppermint candies on a first date, scientists have designed a prototype, portable, thumb-sized device that quickly “sniffs” bad breath.

Created by experts in South Korea, the device detects the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) – the gas that causes bad breath.

After exhaling in the device, the presence of H2S on the breath can be displayed on an accompanying smartphone app.

Along with a social misstep, bad breath is a natural warning sign, potentially indicating serious dental problems.

Image from Korean expert article shows how the device can provide rapid detection of hydrogen sulfide in human breath

The study was conducted by experts from Samsung Electronics and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea.

“Continuous monitoring of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in human breath for the early diagnosis of halitosis [bad breath] is of great importance for the prevention of dental disease, ”they state in their article.

“This study offers the possibility of direct, highly reliable and rapid detection of H2S in real human breath without the need for any collection or filtering equipment.”

H2S is created inside the body in small doses – and is perhaps best known to transport the scorching smell of rotten eggs.

H2S and other foul-smelling sulfur by-products are excreted as waste products by bacteria on the tongue and under the gum tissue.

Unfortunately for the people around us, they are present in the air we exhale, which makes good oral hygiene crucial on a first date or job interview to combat it. odour.

WHY YOU CAN’T FEEL YOUR OWN BREATH WHEN BLOWING YOUR HAND

Contrary to popular belief, you cannot control your breath by blowing in your hand. It just doesn’t work, according to dentist and bacteriologist Dr Howard Katz, founder of The Breath Company.

Your body is designed so that you cannot detect your own smell and your senses get used to the smell of your own breath.

It’s a process called acclimatization that we’ve developed over centuries of evolution – it helps us be able to quickly distinguish strange smells without being overwhelmed by our own smells.

You are constantly exhaling your own breath, so you get used to your own scent.

Previously, some devices were able to measure small amounts of H2S, but they required exhaled air to be collected and tested on expensive instruments in the lab, which is not feasible for consumers.

Previous studies have shown that when certain metal oxides react with gases containing sulfur, their electrical conductivity changes.

And when metal oxides are combined with noble metal catalysts, they can become more sensitive and selective.

So, to develop a small real-time bad breath analyzer, the team wanted to find the right combination of substances that would cause the fastest and strongest response to H2S in the air blown directly on it.

The researchers mixed sodium chloride (an alkali metal salt) and platinum (a noble metal catalyst) nanoparticles with tungsten.

They then electrospun the solution into nanofibers which they heated, converting the tungsten to its metal oxide form.

Electrospinning is a method of producing ultrafine fibers measuring as small as a billionth of a meter in diameter (one nanometer).

In preliminary tests, the composite made from equal parts of each metal exhibited the greatest reactivity to hydrogen sulfide, which the team measured as a significant decrease in electrical resistance in less than 30 seconds.

Although this nanofiber reacted with some gases containing sulfur, it was the most sensitive to H2S.

It created a 9.5 and 2.7 times greater response than dimethyl sulfide or methyl mercaptan, respectively, which also contain sulfur.

In addition to a social misstep, bad breath is a natural warning sign, potentially indicating serious dental problems.

Finally, the team coated interdigitated gold electrodes with the nanofibers and combined the gas sensor with humidity, temperature and pressure sensors in their small prototype.

The device correctly identified bad breath in 86% of cases when people’s breath was exhaled directly on it.

Although the device is not yet on the market, it could be integrated with very small devices such as key chains for quick and easy self-diagnosis of bad breath.

The system is detailed further in the team’s article, published in the journal ACS Nano.

CAUSES OF BAD BREATHING (HALITOSIS)

There are several possible causes of halitosis:

Poor oral hygiene

It is the most common cause. Bacteria that build up on your teeth, especially between them, as well as on your tongue and gums, can produce unpleasant-smelling gas. These bacteria are also responsible for gum disease and tooth decay.

Food and drink

Eating strongly flavored foods, such as garlic, onions, and spices, is likely to cause your breath to smell. Strong-smelling drinks, such as coffee and alcohol, can also cause bad breath.

Bad breath caused by food and drink is usually temporary. Good dental hygiene will also help.

Smoking

In addition to smelling your breath, smoking stains your teeth, irritates your gums and reduces your sense of taste.

It can also significantly affect the development of gum disease, another major cause of bad breath.

Emergency regime

Emergency diets, fasting, and low-carb diets are another possible cause of bad breath. They cause the body to break down fat, which produces chemicals called ketones which can be smelled in your breath.

Medication

These include: nitrates – these are sometimes used to treat angina pectoris; certain chemotherapy drugs; and tranquilizers (phenothiazines).

If the medicine you are taking causes bad breath, your GP may be able to recommend an alternative.

Medical conditions

In rare cases, bad breath can be caused by certain medical conditions. In dry mouth (xerostomia), the flow and composition of saliva may be affected.

Dry mouth can sometimes be caused by a problem with the salivary glands or by breathing through the mouth instead of the nose.

In some cases, gastrointestinal upset can also cause bad breath. For example, bacterial infection of the lining of the stomach and small intestine (H. pylori infection) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been linked to bad breath.

Other medical conditions that can cause bad breath include diabetes and infections of the lungs, throat, or nose – for example, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and sinusitis.

Halitophobia

Some people think they have bad breath when they don’t. This psychological condition is called halitophobia.

Source: NHS Choice

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