Dec 21, Herbs for Bad Breath: How to Choose the Right Ones

Consider using herbs for bad breath if you're trying to avoid using chemicals to solve the problem. Although there are some very mild commercial products you can use to fight halitosis, it's perfectly understandable that you might prefer a totally natural approach.

Even an extremely effective oral hygiene product line (such as TheraBreath ) which is free of alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and other chemicals, still uses a chemical process to generate its potent, oxygen-enriched products.

Look for products containing some of these herbs for bad breath. Kalium Phosphate. one of the herbs for bad breath, is a natural salt that can be found in all body fluids. It fights germs and can prevent the decay of body tissue. This is significant because damaged or diseased oral tissue can result in bad breath.

Kalium Phosphate is recognized as a preventative for more than just bad breath. It also prevents unusually bad-smelling gas and stools. If you just don't want to smell bad, you're going to like Kalium Phosphate. Silicon Dioxide is another of the suggested herbs for bad breath. It's used to purge the cells, removing toxins, thereby ridding your body of a variety of bad odors. Silica is naturally occurring in the body, especially in hair, nails, skin, nerve sheaths and all mucous membranes, including the mouth and digestive tract. This biochemical tissue salt is also frequently prescribed for gum disease (including gum boils and mouth abscesses), mouth ulcers and chronic mucous infections (e.g. sinus infections).

Silica acts as a natural cleanser and purifier and will also eliminate all foreign matter in the body. For this reason Silica should not be used by people with any type of prosthesis, breast implants, pace makers, metal plates, pins or artificial tubes in the body.

For centuries, another of the herbs for bad breath, Sweet Fennel, has been used as a diuretic, anti-spasmodic and calmative herb. It contains an aniseed-flavored essential oil containing mostly anethole, as well as fenchone; both of which are thought to account for its anti-spasmodic and diuretic properties. Fennel is an excellent digestive tonic. It also helps to relieve gas. Fennel seed has a long history of being used to sweeten the breath.

Milk Thistle is regarded as one of the most important herbal liver tonics and restoratives. It helps to restore healthy liver function, bile production, and digestion. In doing so, Milk Thistle eliminates toxins from the body, particularly from the digestive tract.

Medical use of Milk Thistle may be traced back more than 2000 years. Milk Thistle has been subject to many clinical trials which clearly demonstrate its effectiveness.

If you don't feel like tracking down these herbs for bad breath individually, try Triple Complex HaliTonic from Native Remedies.

In addition to using herbs for bad breath, make sure you follow these simple oral hygiene guidelines:

Avoid toothpastes which contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): SLS offers no oral health benefits whatsoever. Its sole purpose is to bubble and foam to make you think that something spectacular is happening in your mouth. The truth is that toothpastes which contain SLS contribute to dry mouth. When your mouth is dry, there is less oxygen-rich saliva to help keep anaerobic bacteria under control. If you want to prevent bad breath, avoid SLS toothpastes.Watch what you eat: The obvious items to avoid are onions and garlic, but there are other groups which can cause bad breath. Those groups are drying agents (alcohol, for example), foods dense in protein (such as fish), sugars, and acids (including all coffees and some mouthwashes).Drink plenty of water: Make sure you consume plenty of fluids, especially water, during the day. Doing so will help wash food particles and excess mucous from your mouth. It will also help prevent dry mouth.Avoid alcohol: Regardless of whether it's contained in an alcoholic beverage or a mouthwash, alcohol is a desiccant, or drying agent. A dry mouth provides an excellent breeding ground for the anaerobic bacteria which cause bad breath.Don't smoke: Not only does it make you and your breath smell bad, it also dries your mouth, contributing to accelerated anaerobic bacteria reproduction and bad breath. If you really want to prevent bad breath, you will not smoke.Avoid coffee: If you have to drink it, drink it in moderate amounts only. Coffee contains acids which cause anaerobic bacteria to reproduce more quickly. It doesn't matter whether you drink regular or decaffeinated coffee. Both contain high levels of acid.Brush your teeth daily: Brush at least twice a day. If possible, brush your teeth after every meal. Keep a toothbrush and other dental supplies at work.Floss daily: Daily flossing removes trapped food particles which can begin to rot, contributing to the odor problem. It also promotes healthy gums and teeth and can even help prevent major illnesses.Use a tongue scraper: Make a daily tongue scraping part of your oral hygiene routine. Use a scraper to remove any surface coating, an excellent food source for anaerobic bacteria. This gets those bacteria right where they live.Finally, be certain to get regular dental checkups and treatments. Diseased oral tissue is an excellent breeding ground for the bacteria that cause bad breath.

A healthy mouth will help you in all your relationships and will allow HaliTonic, or any other natural cure for bad breath which you decide to use, to do a better job.

(If information on using herbs for bad breath is not what you wanted, try using the Google search box above to help find what you're looking for.)

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Feb 3, Stop Morning Breath With Zinc Ion Technology

Want to stop morning breath once and for all? As most of you know, I'm a long-time advocate of using TheraBreath products to avoid waking up with bad breath. Now there's another way not only to wake up with fresh breath, but to enjoy fresh breath 24x7.

Using zinc ion technology to control anaerobic bacteria living in your mouth, this new approach will keep your breath fresh for 12 hours at a time, even while you sleep. The product line is called SmartMouth.

Watch this short video to learn more about it.

What makes SmartMouth mouth wash truly unique is its 2-solution approach. You mix the two solutions together just prior to use. This is easily accomplished with SmartMouth's two bottle, two pump approach. There's no unscrewing of lids, or messy pooring with its risk of spilling.

Solution 1 is an oxidizer which eliminates any bad breath already present. Solution 2 takes the process to the next level by preventing odors from returning for a full 12 hours. That's how SmartMouth can eliminate morning breath.

By the way, this is the only mouth wash with a clinical study proving that it will freshen your breath for longer than an hour. In fact, this clinical study shows that SmartMouth will keep your breath fresh for a full 24 hours with twice daily use.

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Aug 12, Bad Breath in Children can be Treated and Prevented

You may find this surprising, but bad breath in children is quite common. Many believe this problem to be the exclusive domain of adults, but that's not the case at all.

There are several reasons bad breath can occur at an early age. The reasons include, but are not limited to, post nasal drip, poor dental hygiene, mouth breathing, and especially in smaller children, foreign objects in the nose.

The most common cause of bad breath in children is post nasal drip, which can be caused by colds, allergies, and sinus infections. Poor dental hygiene can lead to cavities and trapped food particles, causing swollen gums and can also be a key factor in tonsillitis. Mouth breathing for any reason, whether it is due to allergies or certain medicines, prevents the mouth from producing the much-needed saliva that washes away bacteria. Smaller children are prone to putting objects in the nose that can become stuck, resulting in an infection.

If your child has a green discharge from one nostril, check for foreign objects in the nose as this is very common in smaller children and most infections cause both sides of the nose to drain. Your doctor should be consulted if this occurs. This may require your doctor's expertise to remove. Do not attempt to do this yourself. Teach children that they are never to place foreign objects in the nose, ears, or mouth.

Colds can be treated with over the counter medicines such as decongestants and cough suppressants. Cold medicines will help dry up nasal passages thus relieving sneezing, coughing, and post nasal drip. Just be aware that any medication that dries up the sinus and oral cavities can also contribute to bad breath in children.

Allergies, sinus infections, and enlarged adenoids can cause your child to breath through the mouth. There are over the counter medicines for allergies, such as Claritin and the generic forms Alavert and loratadine, but sinus infections may require antibiotics that only your doctor can prescribe. For any other medications taken regularly, you should read the warning labels for the side effects as some medicines themselves cause dry mouth.

Some allergies can be prevented by eliminating the cause, which can be dust mites and mold, pet dander, secondhand smoke, and high pollen counts. Keeping the indoor humidity low helps control dust mites and mold since they increase in high humidity. It is best not to keep pets inside due to the surface allergens, but if that is not possible, keeping the pet out of the child's room and bathing the pet once a week will reduce exposure. If you or someone in the household smokes, your child is at risk for second hand smoke allergies. Eliminating this cause will clear up the allergy and is the perfect reason to quit.

Practicing good dental hygiene can treat or prevent bad breath in children. Teach your young ones to brush the teeth and tongue, to floss daily, and to rinse thoroughly with water afterwards (There's no need for mouthwash at this age). This will help rid the mouth of trapped food and bacteria that can lead to cavities.

Bad breath in children can be just as embarrassing for them as it is for adults. By eliminating the causes one by one, you should be able to keep your child's mouth healthy, clean, and smelling fresh.

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Feb 3, Test For Bad Breath - Here's How

Is it possible to test for bad breath effectively? Great question! It's true that eventually we get used to, or become acclimated to, the many odors our bodies produce. As a result, most of us are unable to smell our own breath.

Are there exceptions to this rule?

Sure... but anyone who falls under one of the exceptions won't need the information contained in this article.

As I mentioned on Kiss Bad Breath Goodbye home, children can be brutally honest. Make sure you're in a non-threatening environment and just ask your child or grandchild. Ask how it smells right now and ask if the child has ever noticed that your breath smells bad. Be prepared for their response. It may seem harsh. Accept their response with emotional maturity. Welcome the child's feedback and thank them for it.

Another reliable way to test for bad breath is to ask an adult friend or relative, someone who cares about you very much and whom you trust implicitly. Ask the same questions: How does it smell right now? Does it ever smell bad? If the thought of doing this is too embarrassing, consider asking your dentist or dental hygienist.

If you really cannot bring yourself to ask someone else, there are ways to check privately. Keep in mind that when you use one of these methods to test for bad breath, the level of reliability drops considerably.

One thing you can do is to lick something. Don't worry... It gets stranger. Select a flat surface, one that is relatively odor-free and sterile. Using as much of the full length of your tongue as possible, lick it. Allow some time for your saliva to dry. Now sniff the area you licked. You can also lick your arm or your hand, but be aware that odors from your skin or from chemicals on your skin (i.e., perfume, cologne, hand lotion) may affect your results.

Another way to test for bad breath in privacy is to use a cotton ball or small piece of gauze to wipe the coating off the back of your tongue. This is going to cause your gag reflex to kick in, so you may need to make several attempts to get a good sample. Set it aside for just a minute or two, then sniff it.

For those of you who don't want to ask someone else, yet want a method which yields reliable results, consider using the Bad Breath Detective kit. It's a true "scientific" test based on bacterial and sulfur reactivity. The kit can be used twice. It's accurate, and it's simple to use:

Finally, if you would like a professional to help you test for bad breath in the privacy of your own home, try our free Online Breath Test.

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Nov 29, The Causes of Bad Breath

Although there are many causes of bad breath, the primary cause is the presence of sulfur-producing bacteria. These bacteria live within the throat and the surface of the tongue. They're referred to as anaerobic ("without oxygen") bacteria because they thrive in oxygen-free environments.

What's that? You have oxygen passing over your tongue all the time, so anaerobic bacteria can't possibly survive there? That would be true if these bacteria actually lived on the outer surface of your tongue. Instead, they live deep within the surface where the papillae, or fibers, connect to the tongue. Under normal circumstances, Oxygen does not reach that level.

Now, believe it or not, the presence of these bacteria really is a good thing as they have an important job to do. They're responsible for breaking down proteins found in specific foods. However, proteins are also present in oral and sinus secretions which find their way to the tongue and back of the throat as well as in blood and diseased oral tissue.

The breakdown process produces a number of compounds such as Hydrogen Sulfide and Methyl Mercaptan. Unfortunately, these compounds are rich with sulfur, and its release creates unpleasant odors and tastes. When the bacteria break down proteins at the normal rate, everything's fine. But from time to time (or always, in the case of chronic halitosis), conditions occur which cause the bacteria to process proteins at higher rates. This is the primary cause of bad breath. As other factors come into play, the process may accelerate, producing agonizingly horrible bad breath.

Secondary causes of bad breath include post-nasal drip, sinus problems, coffee consumption, eating certain foods ( especially high-protein foods), and dry mouth.

Post-nasal drip coats the back of the tongue and the throat with protein-rich mucous. We've already talked about what happens when anaerobic bacteria have a limited amount of protein on which to feed. To those little guys, a post-nasal drip is a protein smorgasbord.

Some people as well as their doctors mistakenly believe that sinus surgery will eliminate or at least reduce bad breath. The point they're missing, however, is that anaerobic bacteria do not live in the sinuses. One of the world's leading experts on the causes of bad breath, Dr. Harold Katz , says, "After personally treating nearly 9,000 people worldwide, I have yet to see a patient get rid of his bad breath following sinus surgery."

Are you a coffee drinker? Coffee contains acids which cause anaerobic bacteria to reproduce more quickly. It doesn't matter whether you drink regular or decaffeinated coffee. Both contain very high levels of acid. Coffee drinking in combination with smoking is one of the major causes of bad breath.

In addition to onions and garlic, there are four kinds of food which tend to stimulate the anaerobic bacteria and increase sulfur production. They are drying agents (think alcohol), dense protein foods (fish), sugars, and acids.

Finally, anything that makes your mouth dryer reduces the amount of saliva present in your mouth. Saliva contains Oxygen and helps reduce the number of bacteria. The less saliva you have, the more ideal the environment for anaerobic bacteria to thrive. Consuming alcoholic beverages, using a mouthwash containing alcohol, smoking, taking certain medications... All of these are things can give you a dry mouth.

So there you have it... Everything you ever wanted to know about the causes of bad breath but were a bit hesitant to ask. Check out these articles for ideas on how to treat your particular problem.

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Aug 12, Social Consequences of Bad Breath

It's unfortunate, but our society is just too darn quick to judge. So, if you have bad breath, every contact with another human being is a potential run-in with your judge, jury, and executioner. A poor first impression is all the evidence needed.

Think about it for a minute. Suppose you and a co-worker are competing for the same position, and you have similar qualifications, comparable experience, and approximately the same amount of time in your current positions. Your co-worker always has fresh breath. However, from time to time, yours hasn't been so good. Is it possible that you'll lose out to your co-worker because of your breath? You'd better believe it. It happens all the time.

Before the interview, you'd better make sure your breath is beyond reproach. Otherwise, the job is going to go to someone else. Why? Well... One of the things a prospective employer will want to gauge is your potential fit with their team. It won't matter if you are without a doubt the most technically qualified applicant for the position if nobody can stand to be near you. You will not be judged to be a good fit and the position will go to someone who perhaps is less qualified but who IS a good fit. And why not? Why would any employer want to hire someone who's going to annoy the current staff? You may even be perceived by a prospective employer as someone who doesn't exercise proper personal hygiene, or worse yet, as someone with low self-esteem. Now, as you and I both know, you can practice excellent oral hygiene and still have a problem with bad breath. But the prospective employer isn't going to see it that way.

Alright, enough about work... Let's change the subject.

I hope you're in a secure relationship with a partner who understands what you're going through and is willing to stand by you until the problem's been resolved. At least, that's how it would be in a perfect world.

But if you're in the process of looking for someone with whom you can share your life, once again, you'd best make sure your breath is beyond reproach. After all, is the dating process really that much different from the job interview process? Sure, it's less formal, but the goals are similar. Your prospective partner will be looking to see if you're a good fit for the "team" (friends & relatives) and if you have the necessary "skills" (grooming, sense of humor, affectionate and attentive). If you show up with bad breath at any time during this process, a good fit and good skills won't be able to save you.

So how do you get on track and stay on track? What's the solution to the problem of bad breath? I can answer that in three words: Prevention, Prevention, Prevention. Find a good oral hygiene regimen that works for you... Get on it and stay on it. If you need some help, my Fourteen Guidelines for Prevention will give you plenty of tips to help you improve your current oral hygiene regimen or start building a good one from scratch.

Either way, get started now and never quit. If you do, I think you'll find that the only social consequences in your life will be good ones.

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Aug 12, Bad Breath Treatment - Is There One That's Effective?

If you're looking for an effective bad breath treatment, you've come to the right place. I know, I know... you'd rather have a "cure" than a "treatment", but let's think about this for a minute. How do you define the word, cure?

If a cure is what you'd rather have, you're probably wanting a medicine you can take, or something you can do just one time and never suffer from breath problems again. If that's what you want, then I have some bad news for you. There is no cure for bad breath.

Keep in mind that the primary cause in most cases of mouth odor is anaerobic bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and deep in the throat. These bacteria break down proteins and are a necessary part of the digestive process. A bad breath cure would have to eliminate these bacteria, and that's just not something you want to do. However, you can control them to the point where your mouth is odor-free by using an effective bad breath treatment.

That's the bad news. The good news is that there is an effective bad breath treatment available for use at home. Based on my experience, it's so effective, you'll get the exact same result as if you had, in fact, been completely cured.

Before you begin to think about a bad breath treatment, however, it's imperative that you develop and follow a good oral hygiene routine.

First, you need to brush your teeth at least twice a day. Don't just brush them when you get up in the morning and before going to bed. Brush your teeth after every meal if it's at all possible. Keep a toothbrush and toothpaste at work and brush after lunch.

Your toothpaste should be one that does not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS provides no real oral health benefits. Its sole function is to provide sufficient foaming action to make you think that something wonerful is happening in your mouth.

Want to know the truth?

Toothpastes which contain SLS are major contributors to dry mouth. When your mouth is dry, there is less oxygen-rich saliva to help keep anaerobic bacteria under control. Products with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate will give you exactly the exact opposite results of what you would expect from an effective bad breath treatment. Instead, why not choose an oxygenating toothpaste with Fluoride, but no SLS?

Another important part of a good oral hygiene routine is to floss daily. A good daily flossing:

Removes trapped food particles which can begin to rot, contributing to the odor problem.Promotes healthy gums and teeth. Diseased gums and decayed teeth contribute to breath odors.Helps prevent major illnesses. Diseased gums provide easy entry points into the bloodstream for bacteria and germs.

You should also make scraping your tongue part of your routine. Use a tongue scraper to remove any surface coating. This mucous is an excellent food source for the bacteria that cause bad breath. Be careful you don't press down too hard. Apply steady pressure, using long strokes from the base of the tongue to the tip. Work your way from one side of the tongue to the other.

Now use the tongue scraper to apply a thin coat of oxygenating toothpaste. Leave the toothpaste on for up to 90 seconds. Doing so will deliver Oxygen to the deeper levels of the tongue where anaerobic bacteria thrive.

Next, you may be tempted to use mouthwash or an oral rinse. There are a couple of potential problems with this. If you use a mouthwash which contains alcohol, you will be contributing to dry mouth. Although the mouthwash may freshen your breath briefly, in the long run, it will worsen existing bad breath. Even if you use an alcohol-free mouthwash, the benefit is minimal. You don't get much value for your dollar. What you really need is an oral rinse that delivers oxygen to all the problem areas where anaerobic bacteria reside.

Make sure you drink plenty of water during the day. This will help wash food particles and excess mucous from your mouth. It will also help prevent dry mouth.

If you follow these steps daily, you'll be well on your way to controlling your bad breath. But seriously, are you only interested in controlling your bad breath, or do you want to eliminate it? If you truly want to eliminate mouth odors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, then I recommend that you use TheraBreath SLS-free toothpaste and oxygen-rich oral rinse. Your family and friends will think you've found a bad breath cure instead of the most effective bad breath treatment ever created!

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