USA – Yogurt may help to reduce bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease, according to a Japanese report presented at an International Association for Dental Research meeting in the US.

The benefits are thought to come from Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, the active bacteria in yogurt.

In the study, a group of 24 volunteers avoided yogurts and similar dairy foods for two weeks. After that researchers measured bacteria levels and odour-causing compounds, including hydrogen sulphide, in saliva.

The volunteers then ate 90 grams of sugarless yogurt a day for six weeks. The team of researchers from Tsurumi University in Yokohama, found that 80% of the volunteers had lower levels of hydrogen sulphide, a major cause of bad breath. Their levels of plaque and the gum disease gingivitis were also lower.