LOS ANGELES — The stink of your breath is everywhere these days.
If you’ve been in a busy environment lately, you’ve likely heard it a few times.
And you know what it’s like to feel like a little bit of a scold when your colleagues smell that.
“You get the urge to punch yourself,” says Julie Ocasio-Cortez, a clinical assistant professor of oral hygiene at University of Southern California.
Ocaso-Cordes lab researches how to help people breathe easier in stressful environments.
Her latest research is looking at how to make breath-cleaning products, which include nasal sprays and mouthwashes.
She’s found that people with asthma tend to have lower levels of asthma-related nasal spray than those without.
So Ocaskas lab teamed up with a company to create a nasal spray that works just like a regular mouthwash.
“We started by looking at the ingredients and then we made a few versions and tested them and it worked pretty well,” Ocaska says.
“Our hope is that people will be able to find something that they can use without fear of a potentially irritating reaction.”
And the results have been pretty eye-opening.
Her research showed that for some people, using nasal springs actually reduces the severity of their asthma symptoms.
“The thing we found was that we can really help them feel better when they’re working or on a plane,” Ocoaso says.
The company that made the nasal spray, Parodontex, also tested the product for the same issue, and found it to be a very effective treatment.
The nasal spray has become one of the best-selling products in the United States.
So the question is: How does one make a nasal sprayer that actually works?
Ocasca-Corderos team is currently developing a new nasal spray based on their research that is made of biodegradable materials.
The product will be available in stores in 2018.
She says there is currently no evidence to show that this nasal spray is a better alternative to nasal spraying.
Instead, she recommends using a regular nasal spray.
But it is worth noting that the nasal sprayers made of materials like plastic are less likely to cause allergic reactions.
“I think it’s going to be important to be mindful of these products,” she says.