DeepSummary
The episode begins with a question from a mouse about how to prevent stinky morning breath. Maud Bailey, a character on the show, explains that the mouth contains a community of bacteria that break down food and saliva, releasing odors. During sleep, saliva production decreases, allowing bacteria to build up, resulting in morning breath.
To address the question, Dr. Michael Eggert, a professor in the dental school at the University of Alberta, is interviewed. He explains that the reduced saliva production during sleep leads to a buildup of bacteria and their byproducts, causing morning breath. He notes that some people naturally produce less saliva, leading to more odor.
At the end of the episode, Maud Bailey suggests chewing on birch twigs or pine needles to help freshen breath. The episode also promotes the main Brains On podcast and invites listeners to submit their own questions.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Morning breath is caused by a buildup of bacteria and their byproducts in the mouth during sleep, due to reduced saliva production.
- Individual variations in saliva production and bacterial levels can affect the severity of morning breath.
- Chewing on natural materials like birch twigs or pine needles can help scrub the teeth and freshen breath in the morning.
- The episode provides a scientific explanation for a common phenomenon and offers practical tips for addressing it.
- The show encourages listeners to submit their own questions for future episodes.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “When we sleep, we don't produce as much saliva as we do when we're awake, so things kind of slow down in our mouth when we're sleeping.“ by Michael Eggert
- “I wouldn't say that they are bad bacteria. It's just that is that some people have more than than others.“ by Michael Eggert
- “I like to find some nice birch twigs or pine needles to chew on. So my teeth get scrubbed and I have lovely fresh breath there.“ by Maud Bailey
Entities
Organization
Company
Person
Podcast
Episode Information
Moment of Um
American Public Media
5/8/24
Good morning! Rise and shine! Time to stretch and yawn and…blech! What is that taste? What is that smell?? Morning breath can be especially stinky, even if you brush your teeth the night before. What’s up with that? We asked Dr. Michael Eggert, who teaches in the dental school at the University of Alberta to help us find the answer.
Got a question that’s really stinkin’ good? Send it to us at BrainsOn.org/contact, and we’ll sniff out an answer.