Influence of gender and stress on the volatile sulfur compounds and stress biomarkers production

Background Stress and menstrual cycle have been described as factors influencing bad breath, as they can alter oral homeostasis and contribute to the production of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). Objective Considering that the experimenter's and volunteer's gender may influence the volunteer's responses to stress, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of stress and gender on the production of VSC and salivary biomarkers. Methods The experimental acute stress was induced by the Video‐Recorded Stroop Color‐Word Test (VRSCWT). The VSC, salivary proteins, and cardiovascular parameters were measured before and after VRSCWT. Results The VRSCWT induced significant increase in total VSC, hydrogen sulfide, and blood pressure values in men and women. Women presented higher values of both these compounds than men. The increase in systolic blood pressure was more pronounced when subjects were evaluated by an experimenter of the opposite gender. When women were evaluated by a member of the opposite gender, they showed significant increases in salivary alpha‐amylase and cortisol compared with baseline values. Conclusion Thus, the results showed that VRSCWT induced acute stress, which increased VSC production, and these effects were shown to be influenced by the gender.