P28 
Analysis of ‘Morning Breath’

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify the volatiles responsible for the smell of oral malodour, the so called ‘Morning Breath’ or halitosis. Therefore the breath of volunteers was trapped on different SPME fibers and on Carbotrap 300 and analysed by Thermodesorption‐GC‐MS and Thermodesorption‐GC‐Sniffing Detection. So numerous odour active compounds were identified and their influence on malodour was determined. The identified substances belong to different chemical classes (S‐compounds, N‐compounds, alcohols, acids, phenols). An in vitro aromagram of the malodour was generated. The results indicate that the frequently mentioned ‘Volatile Sulphur Compounds’ (VSC) H2S, methane thiol and dimethyl sulfide only play a minor role in the ‘Morning Breath’. More important are other sulfur compounds, phenolic compounds (phenol, p‐cresol) and N‐compounds (indole, scatole).