Bad Breath Fix

How to Fix your Bad Breath

If you have ever experienced people stepping back away from you as you speak to them or a friend commenting outright about your bad breath or subtly offering you gum or mints, then in all probability, you have chronic bad breath.

Diseased gums and teeth; parasites lurking in your stomach; bacteria at the back of your tongue and throat; a penchant for spicy pungent foods and sulfur leftovers; dirty tongue; sinusitis, periodontal disease and digestive disorders; side effects of drugs like antidepressants and heart medications.... Any or a combination of these may be the culprit for your bad breath.

Some people are so dense, though, that they do not acknowledge that they have foul-smelling breath, thereby putting off a suitable cure for bad breath, and risking more embarrassing situations. Bad breath sometimes springs to life and makes itself known through a dry metallic taste in the mouth. In certain instances, bad breath accompanies certain conditions like tonsil stones, milk intolerance, stomach and intestinal disturbances. In such cases, proper medical consultation will enlighten you on the best procedures or remedies to treat your particular ailment and in the process arrive at a cure for bad breath too. Some dental clinics recommend zapping the mouth with lasers to get rid of bacteria lodged in the tonsils. Laser is recommended for people who require more dramatic, high-tech approaches to addressing bad breath which simple brushing of the teeth, flossing and other routine dental care cannot do.

For other causes of bad breath, like unhealthy lifestyles as excessive smoking and drinking, or vitamin deficiencies, alongside daily dental care habits like brushing flossing, you may want to consider herbal remedies. Do check first with a health expert or medical professional before opting for a herbal cure. One example of herbal remedy is tea tree oil, a non-toxic, naturally occurring oil which can be used as a mouthwash. Tea tree oil is a great natural alternative to chemical mouthwash solutions. With its antiseptic compounds, tea tree oil is a suitably powerful disinfectant to go with other approaches you have selected as a cure for bad breath. An option is to use a natural toothpaste formulated with tea tree oil. Other mouthwashes to kill oral bacteria may be formulated form other herbal wonders like myrrh (put a few drops of the myrrh tincture in a glassful of water).

Aside from taking the herbal route, there's no substitute, of course, for a good diet. Drink plenty of water and increase your intake of vitamins C and E, without exceeding recommended daily levels. Go for seeds, nuts, vegetables, grains and fruits. If brushing teeth immediately after a meal is not possible, snack on sliced apples, or chew sugar-free gum, the better to stimulate saliva production and prevent dry mouth syndrome and bacteria from setting in.

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Source Teatro Naturale

Copyright 2009

Your Kid Has Bad Breath

Your Kid Has Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Sweet Smelling Breath, Of Course! Bad Breath in kids, I Don't Think So!

Your kid's Sweet Smelling Breath Could be Cause for Concern

Yes, it does happen. Kids do get bad breath and this may be more common than you think. We tend to think that kids don't get bad breath because the most common causes of bad breath are found in adults, like gum diseases, post nasal drip and having unhealthy habits like drinking and smoking.

Bad breath in kids may be as simple as having stinky or morning breath. Or, maybe it has something to do with what they have recently eaten. In these cases, bad breath can be easily remedied and there is nothing to really worry about. But, if you notice that your child has a sweet smelling bad breath, then you may have something to worry about.

A sweet smelling bad breath is one of the symptoms of diabetes. Along with this sweet odor your child may also have a sweet smelling urine, very dry skin and may experience dehydration along with frequent urination. If left unattended, the disease may grow to become serious.

It is always best to consult your doctor as soon as possible if you feel your child has these symptoms.

Tips for Dealing with Bad Breath in Toddlers

Bad breath (halitosis) in toddlers tends to surprise parents as it is generally thought to occur only in grown-ups. Leftover food particles could cause breath odor in a healthy child. Food particles can be stuck between the teeth, at the gum line, on the tongue, or on the surface of the tonsils. The resulting bacterial build-up will react with saliva and cause bad breath.

Here are some causes of bad breath in toddlers:

1/ Tartar build-up
2/ Tooth infections
3/ Pacifier use
4/ Dehydration
5/ Pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx)
6/ Tonsillitis (inflammation of tonsils)

There is no need for parents to worry of course! Regular dental hygiene can easily take care of the problem.

Here are some common solutions to help you deal with your toddlers’ bad breath:

Make sure your toddlers are getting adequate fluid intake. This will take care of dehydration, if any exists.

Make sure your toddlers are brushing correctly. If not, teach them the correct techniques.

Use a timer for brushing time to make sure your toddlers brush for the correct length of time.

Talk with your dentist and get your toddlers a routine check up.

Make sure the pacifiers that your toddlers may be using are regularly sterilized.

Of course, bad breath in some instances can simply be caused by recently consumed foods or beverages such as garlic or onions or spicy foods like pepperoni.

There are other serious cases, however, where your children’s breath may smell toxic. In these circumstances, immediately check if your toddlers have consumed any chemical or medicine accidentally kept within reach.

Check out this Mild Berry Listerine Smart Rinse Mouthwash for Kids 6+ -


Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Your 2 Year Old Has Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved

Bad Breath Relief

Bad Breath Relief

Video available here

It is safe to say that you are hesitant to open your mouth when your dental hygienist approaches? Such feelings of trepidation are sometimes fuelled by certain promotions for breath mints, splashes, washes and pills.

While incessant Bad Breath is not a myth, it's substantially less normal than the advertisements or studies recommend. When bad Breath does occur, it's quite often because of issues in the mouth that can be promptly cured.

Certain mouth odours are normal, however they are mellow and transitory(that is, the this type of smells do not hang around for long). Certain food and drinks can blight your breath. Smoking, drinking and eating certain foods like Garlic and Onion can taint your breath for over 24 hours.

Eating and drinking excessively are known causes of Bad Breath so is eating too little and drinking less water can also result in you having Bad Breath. Dieters may develop the mildly unpleasant "hunger breath" when certain metabolic wastes reach the lungs. (A well-timed snack may curb your hunger breath but at some cost to your dieting).

Then there is the so called "morning breath." - This happens while we sleep or rest, our tongue moves less and the secretion of saliva slows almost to a stop. When we are asleep, the normal bacteria in our mouth, start breaking down the Dead cells (these are tissue linings in our mouth which are continuously being shed and normally cleared by our tongue and the secretion of saliva) in our mouth, thereby releasing malodorous by-products. But the odour disappears as soon as you brush and floss your teeth or even when you have something to eat or drink.

Issues with the teeth, gums and the tongue are the main cause of Bad Breath. Without good oral hygiene, the teeth become coated with bacterial plaque, which can eventually give rise to gum disease as well as tooth decay. And badly decayed teeth smell pretty bad. But even relatively mild gum disease can generate unpleasant odours, as plaque, in its hardened form, tartar, can create pockets that collect pus. For that matter, rotting food around faulty fillings or just between the teeth can also create a very bad odour.

Recent research shows that heavy bacterial plaques can also form on the back of the tongue. Because of its large, rough surface area, the tongue readily retains the bacteria, along with dead cells (dead mouth lining) and even food debris. And the tongue bacteria are mostly the type than can easily decompose those accumulations, generating a variety of Sulfur and other smelly compounds.

If gum disease threatens your teeth and causes bad breathe, you should seek professional advice. But you can help prevent gum disease by keeping your mouth clean. That means brushing twice a day(morning and/or after a meal), flossing once and seeing your dentist regularly.
You can also keep your tongue clean by brushing it gently once a day with a soft wet brush after you brush your teeth, or by periodically scraping the rear portion with a bent spoon. (You can even buy a specially designed tongue-scraper in a drugstore.)

If those measures are inadequate, you can get a potent mouthwash. So far, two types of products have substantial scientific evidence to back them up: Listerine and a prescription rinse available as Peridex and PerioGard. At least one small clinical trial suggests that mouth rinses containing the germicide chlorine dioxide - including Oxyfresh, Retardex, and other products such as the Superior Oral Care developed by Dr Harold Katz of ThreraBreath, may also be helpful.

If there's nothing wrong in your mouth, you may be one of the few people whose Bad Breath actually signals a medical problem. Most often, it's a local infection of the respiratory tract (the nose, throat, windpipe or lungs), such as chronic Sinusitis or Bronchitis. Other possible medical causes include Diabetes, kidney and liver disease, gastrointestinal problems, and rare metabolic disorders. Finally, your Bad Breath can also result from anything that dries the mouth - fever, medications, salivary-gland disorders, or just breathing through your mouth.

But don't let all this give you the wrong impression. Bad Breath requiring the attention of a dentist or physician is relatively uncommon. There is even evidence suggesting that as many as one in four people who believe they have chronic bad breath actually suffer from Halitosis phobia. They'll often remain convinced of their Bad Breath despite objective evidence to the contrary.

Still, if you're concerned about your Bad Breath, seek advise from your dentist for a honest appraisal. Your best friend may not tell you, as the old commercial warned, but your dentist or doctor will.

Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved

Embarrassing Bodies - Let's Get Over Them

Embarrassing Bodies - Let's Get Over Them

Emma Chitty | The West Australian

We’ve all been there: something concerns you about your body... but you’re hesitant to talk to anyone about it. Why? Well, some problems can be harder to discuss than others and that’s usually due to embarrassment. Today in Health + Fitness we’ve asked a doctor and a naturopath to talk us through common body issues that sometimes prevent us asking for help. And the answers aren’t as embarrassing as you may think.

Bad breath
“Causes for bad breath include gum disease, tooth decay, sleep apnoea, alcohol, mouth, nose and throat conditions and stress,” says Suzanna Wallace, naturopath and herbalist at The Green Naturopath.
“Ensure you have regular dental check-ups, practise good oral hygiene, try to reduce stress in the body, rinse the mouth after eating and look to eat a more alkalising diet.”

Body odour
“Body odour can be found in a number of areas we don’t like talking about — under the armpits, in the urine, feet, vagina, anus, behind the ears and in the belly button,” Ms Wallace says.
“It may be caused from an excess of bacterial growth, spicy foods or imbalances of normal bacteria and the body’s natural PH.”
To fight back against body odour, Ms Wallace suggests eating plenty of fresh vegetables, spirulina, fruit, fermented rich foods and probiotics.

Body shapes and plastic surgery
“People are often quite reluctant to ask about body shapes and the possibility of plastic surgery — but it’s our job to have an open mind,” says Simon Torvaldsen, chairman of the AMA WA council of directors.
“If someone wants plastic surgery to correct something that’s completely normal, I think I have an obligation to say they don’t need to worry — but if it’s something that’s bothering them, most things are fixable and we can help.”

Gas
“Among other issues, gas may be caused by irritation, inflammation, infections or imbalances within the microbiome in the gut,” Ms Wallace says.
“To prevent excess gas, try reducing stress, eating slowly and including herbs such as fennel, peppermint and ginger to soothe and support your digestive system.”
Dr Torvaldsen says it is important to remember some amount of gas is normal. “I need to reassure people sometimes that a little bit of body gas is normal — often, a healthy diet actually results in more intestinal gas than an unhealthy diet,” he says. “Higher-fibre diets can give you a bit more gas but they’re the ones proven to be good for you.”

Menopause
“Women are often very reluctant to admit they have menopausal symptoms, or that the symptoms are bad enough for them to want treatment,” Dr Torvaldsen says. “We can replace hormones naturally now — natural oestrogen and natural progesterone — so the risks of doing so are very low and the results are great.”

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
“In some cases, people actually get a symptom they misinterpret and think may be an STI when it’s not — they often won’t want to talk about it because they don’t want their partner thinking they’ve been unfaithful when they haven’t,” Dr Torvaldsen says. “People need to be reassured that their medical records are confidential unless they give permission for someone to access them or there is a court order — no one is going to be accessing your medical records without consent.”

I look fine but I don’t feel right
Never feel embarrassed to seek help if you are struggling with your mental health. “One thing that people are very reluctant to reveal is if they haven’t been coping — from a medical point of view, it’s probably the most dangerous thing I see and is far more embarrassing to some people than any bodily problem,” Dr Torvaldsen says.
“Depression destroys people’s lives and we can do something about it — the most satisfying people to treat are those who have had severe depression and start to feel OK again.”

We want to help!
Doctors go into their line of work because they want to help — so don’t be embarrassed to ask for it.
“Sometimes it’s the things that people think are the most embarrassing that we actually find most satisfying to treat because we can actually easily fix them and make a big difference to their lives,” Simon Torvaldsen says.

“The bottom line is to try us — we can help with most things.”

Source The West Australian

Copyright 2018

5 Symptoms That Could Signal Poor Gut Health

5 Symptoms That Could Signal Poor Gut Health

A healthy gut equals a happy gut

Once overlooked as a simple bodily system, the inner workings of the gut have now been discovered to be an integral part of not only physical, but emotional and mental wellbeing.

According to new research released by Danone, 90 per cent of Australian women (so we can guess the statistics are similar in NZ) admit to experiencing regular episodes of digestive discomfort. It's a hard percentage to stomach (literally) and the woes are heavily interfering in women's working and social lives.

Knowing how to identify problems within your gut can sometimes be tricky and understanding how to solve these issues is even more complicated. Thankfully, nutritionist Michele Chevalley Hedge is on hand to pinpoint the clear-cut symptoms of a sad stomach and how to tackle them, head first.

1. Bloating
Certainly one of the most common symptoms, bloating can indicate an array of problems when it comes to your gut. Before delving deep into the potential causes of your bloating — like Irritable Bowel Syndrome or food intolerances — a re-evaluation of your daily food intake is a good place to start.
"A common western diet that is laden with hidden sugar, trans fats and processed foods can lead to an unhealthy, slow moving bloated gut," says Michele.
Instead of turning to those afternoon cravings of chocolate bars and sugar loaded drinks, opt for a probiotic rich substitute - like yoghurt.

2. Constipation
It's an uncomfortable health issue to deal with and the root of the problem is often ignored, but constipation is normally a clear sign of some sort of digestion issue. A healthy gut populated with beneficial bacteria often meals faster 'transit times' and easier bowel movements. For many women, they believe that the solution to combating constipation is by turning to over-the-counter pills and potions. Instead, trying out a more fibrous diet and increased hydration can help ease symptoms and restore much needed balance.

3. Moodiness and stress
The inner workings of your digestive system don't just help you digest food, but can also guide your emotions. So if you find yourself feeling more irritable than usual, super stressed or a bit out of sorts, it might be time to evaluate the state of your gut health and your diet. In the last few decades, scientists have discovered the direct connection between the gut and the brain, with most of our body's serotonin (the happy hormone) made in the stomach. "Serotonin is responsible for regulating appetite, mood, sleep and relaxation," Michele says. So if you've got an unhealthy gut, this vital hormone may be out of balance. Improving your sleeping patterns, as well as ensuring you have a nutrient-rich diet and are drinking sufficient amounts of water, are simple ways to help get your gut health under control.

4. Low energy levels
Probiotics, otherwise known as 'good bacteria' are responsible for breaking down and digesting the food you eat, drawing out the necessary nutrients that spike your energy levels. Digestion uses a lot of energy and when it is bogged down with poor gut bacteria, you can feel exhausted. The absence of these probiotics can lead to you to feel sluggish, an unwelcome feeling when you're wanting to tackle a days work. Restoring the 'good bacteria' of the gut starts with substituting existing unhealthy food habits with good ones. "Probiotic yoghurt like Activia, kefir and kimchi are great to incorporate into your diet to improve gut health," Michelle recommends.

5. Bad breath
Everyone suffers from bad breath on occasion, whether as a result of eating strong foods or forgetting to brush your teeth in the morning. Chronic bad breath, however, can be a direct result of not paying enough attention to your gut health. Bad breath in conjunction with mild acid reflux and bloating could be a sign that your gut flora is not optimal. If you think this is the case for you, visit your GP or seek the advice of a medical professional.

Source Now To Love

Copyright 2018

Halitosis clinics may take your breath away

Halitosis clinics may take your breath away

June 1, 1995 | By Tom Keyser | Tom Keyser, the father of Sun Patty Zeitz's staff essayist, nicknamed her "wild ox breath". Her sister warned the guests: "Do not go to Patty's room, there's a green cover on her bed".

Along with the expected 25 million Americans, Mrs. Zeitz was the victim of constant halitosis or terrible breath. "It was a condemnation," says the 24-year-old Philadelphia occupant.

"The first and last run through my date is when my date kisses me".
Today, Ms. Zeitz inhales effortlessly. The country's first halitosis facility, inaugurated in Philadelphia in 1993, brought back her breath, she says.

In addition, with the prosperity of that facility and with that  facility's success, bad-breath centers are growing throughout  America.

In 1995, within a month, 10 dental practitioners in the Baltimore area passed on the idea to Maryland, opening what they call the Incomparable Breath Focuses.

Dr. Harold S. Imprints, owner of Family Dental Partners in Eldersburg, met the meeting. He says that the continuous examination of halitosis, the advance of a device called the Halimeter, to estimate/measure the frightful smelly breathing and the accessibility of refreshing toothpastes and mouth rinses have turned it into "a condition that can be treated in a way effective ". "Patients continually ask their dental specialists and doctors: 'What could I do with this breath?'

Dr. Imprints says that "in the past they were told, 'Just brush and floss, and there's no reason to worry'. However now we realize that it's basically not the situation.

The terrible breath is usually caused by microscopic organisms on the back of the tongue. This produces sulfur exacerbations that discharge putrid gases. The measure of microscopic organisms changes from one individual to another, and some languages ​​of salivation purge are superior to other people.

Most of the time, Dental Practitioner agree that, reducing and de-odourizing the bacteria, eliminates bad breath. Despite the fact that it is basic, that is a genuinely late revelation.

The research focused on micro-organisms, since the offender did not start until the late 1970s, says Dr. Jon L. Richter, who runs the Philadelphia center. Most dental specialists who treat halitosis currently recognize the reason, he says. The cure is in question.

The American Dental Association (ADA) does not take any position, since it considers halitosis a social problem, not a life treating disease. Besides, "certain smells are not as hostile to some people as they are to other people".

Most Dental Practitioner advise their patients to

1) buy a tongue scrapper at a pharmacy or use a teaspoon that is turned over

2) rub your tongue in the morning and at night as far back as you can stand with the teaspoon (or tongue scrapper)

3) also observe their diet and make sure their mouth is healthy and clean.

This should help reduce/eliminate most halitosis issues/problems. If the issue persists, please see your Doctor for more rigorous analysis of the issue/problem


Copyright 2018

Bleeding Gums - Stop Them Today or Lose Teeth Tomorrow

From the Desk of Dr Katz

Most of the time, he writes about bad breath. As America's Fresh Breath Expert for over a decade it is his field and primarily what he is known for. However there are other oral care issues which have to be addressed on a daily basis to make sure your mouth stays in tip top shape.

Do you see occasional Gum Bleeding when you brush? The dreaded 'Pink in the Sink'? Did you stop flossing because it caused extreme bleeding and irritation? Have you observed gum recession that has continued to get worse over time? These are signs of Gingivitis and they need to be addressed quickly before becoming a serious problem.

Over time, food particles and other proteins collect in pockets between your teeth and gums. This dark, moist, food laden area becomes a great place for bacteria to live and feast. As their colonies grow and thrive, they irritate your gums and force them to recede down the tooth root. As you floss or brush the irritated gum tissue will bleed and even potentially ooze, becoming inflamed and painful. This irritated tissue will recede, causing root exposure, giving bacteria access to the root for lasting and permanent damage. Bleeding gums can even create opportunity for bacteria to get into the bloodstream leading to far more serious issues like heart disease.

Gum disease is a remarkably common condition, afflicting over forty percent of the adult population. While advanced cases do require the attention of a specialist and dental visits to properly treat, most common cases are relatively mild and can be treated easily with an over the counter medicated oral hygiene regimen. Treating gum disease before it becomes advanced is crucial, as dental treatment for neglected gums is unpleasant and extremely expensive.

Dr. Katz has created PerioTherapy formulas for this very reason: to treat Gingivitisand Gum Disease before it gets out of hand and requires injections or surgery to fix. PerioTherapy uses the power of CoQ10, Tea Tree Oil and his own proprietary and patented formulas to combat germs at the gumline and strengthen gum tissue, effectively eliminating "pink in the sink." He perfected PerioTherapy for over a decade in his own practice before making it available to the public. Since then, he has sold millions of bottles and tubes in Europe and the US to patients suffering from gum bleeding and irritation. Their reviews have been remarkable, with many patients saying not only have their gums become healthier and stronger but that their dentists have been incredibly pleased with the strides they have made since using PerioTherapy on a daily basis.

If you do suffer from gum issues such as pain, swelling, bleeding, or recession he recommends you try PerioTherapy for yourself for 30 days. See if this patented process works as well for you as it has for the tens of thousands who are now loyal users. If you don't see an improvement in your gums in that short time send the products back to me for a full refund.

Yours in good health,
Harold Katz, DDS

Dr Katz's PerioTherapy products can be found at www.therabreath.com

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Copyright 2009

Can Sinus Also Be A Root Cause Of Bad Breath (Halitosis)?

After individually taking care of more than 25,000 people in his clinics, Dr Katz has yet to witness a patient chuck out his Bad Breath (Halitosis) only by having sinus operation.

At the outset, these anaerobic bacteria cannot survive in the sinuses, even though the Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs) they generate may run into the sinus passages. When somebody has a sinus infectivity, one of the familiar indication is strong sinus headaches, attributable to the strain from the infection in the sinuses. If you don’t have these strong headaches, you almost certainly don’t have a sinus disease. The truth is that once somebody has a prominent amount of these anaerobic bacteria, they will generate the trouble from any protein resource, together with mucus, phlegm, etc., which depletes down the back of your esophagus into the area where these bacteria exists.

On the other hand, if you do have sinus troubles i.e. additional mucus, post-nasal drip, etc. then this may perhaps be making your Bad Breath (Halitosis) worse. This is for the reason that the proteins in mucus operate as a food supply for the bacteria. A lot of Dr Katz’s patient have got immense help from his Nasal Sinus Drops or Nasal Sinus Spray.

Just 1-2 drops or 1-2 squirts into both nostrils successfully counter balances any existing VSC’s found in the nose, sinus, and following sinus area. Though it’s vital to understand that unless you discontinue the making of VSC’s at the starting place i.e. the back of the tongue and esophagus, fresh VSC’s will carry on to travel into the sinus area.

TheraBreath products can be found at www.therabreath.com

Copyright 2009, All Rights Reserved

Watch Your Mouth, Fight Bad Breath (Halitosis)

FIGHTING bad breath takes more than chewing gum and using mouthwash. If halitosis is caused by imbalanced energy, then herbal medication can help. Zhang Qian takes a whiff of the problem.

Bad breath is a real turnoff, but mouth wash and chewing gum can't help for long if halitosis is caused by disordered energy.

Traditional Chinese medicine recommends rebalancing energy with herbal medication and adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes proper diet and strict oral hygiene.

Eating garlic and onions can cause bad breath, but it can usually be dispelled by eating nuts, chewing tea leaves or gum, drinking milk or gargling with vinegar or wine.

Halitosis, however, usually refers to a long-term problem of bad breath, not just caused by eating smelly foods. It can be caused by digestive problems, gum disease, tooth decay, gastritis and constipation.

Regular brushing and flossing gets rid of food particles that can decay and give off odor, eventually causing persistent bacterial infection and gum disease.

Unhealthy diet and a tiring lifestyle can weaken the stomach and intestines so that food is not properly digested, giving off a smell.

Bacterial infection in the digestive system, such as helicobacter pylori, can cause long-term bad breath but when the bacteria is killed the bad breath problem is solved.

According to TCM, internal pathogenic heat is the main cause of halitosis and it often gets worse in summer when pathogenic heat and damp prevail in the universe, and correspondingly, in the human body.

There's been a recent increase in pathogenic heat-related conditions, according to Dr Gong Yuping, chief of the Gastroenterology Department of Longhua Hospital attached to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

People with halitosis due to excessive heat are often thirsty and suffer mouth ulcers and constipation. They usually have flushed faces and red tongues with a yellow coating.

People who smoke, drink a lot or eating stimulating spicy foods often have excessive pathogenic heat, resulting in bad breath. They need to adjust their diet and shift to plainer foods.

Dr Gong recommends heat-dispelling herbs, such as huangqin (Baikal skullcap root), huanglian (rhizoma coptidis) and danpi (root-bark of tree peony). These are commonly prescribed. Rhubarb is often added if there's serious constipation. Eating pearl barley also helps dispel heat and damp.

Halitosis can be a problem for elderly people, those who are weak or are recovering from serious ailments. Yin (cold) energy efficiency and internal heat weaken their digestive system, causing bad breath.

They are often tired, may sweat a lot at night and have red tongues with a thick coating.

Patients with deficient yin in their lungs may also suffer coughing or constipation and have bad breath. Mulberry leaves, almonds, liquorice and maidong (ophiopogon root) are recommended.

Halitosis may occur in patients with deficient yin energy in the liver; they tend to suffer insomnia and are irritable. Nourishing the liver is the best treatment. Herbs like zhimu (rhizoma anemarrhenae), chuanqiong (hemlock parsley) and wild jujubes are recommended.

If you have bad breath - and sore back and legs - then you may be suffering deficient energy in the kidney. TCM doctors often prescribe patent drugs, such as Zhi Bo Di Huang Wan mainly made of zhimu, philodendron and prepared rhizome of rehmannia.

Other yin energy-reinforcing foods include white fungus, duck, lotus root and mung beans.

Good oral hygiene is a must. Dr Gong recommends quitting smoking, drinking and eating spicy foods while taking herbal medication. Sufficient sleep is necessary to prevent deficiency in yin energy.

Fighting bad breath with White fungus soup with honey

Ingredients: White fungus (30g), honey (10ml)

Method: Cook white fungus with water until the fungus softens.

Add honey, stir.

Eat often.

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Source - Shanghai Daily - Shanghai, China

Copyright 2009

How to Fight Bad Breath (Halitosis)

You enter a room and all others see is physical perfection. Every hair in place, make-up well done, your suit fitting perfectly with glossy manicured nails. Then you begin to speak and there is an unpleasant scent coming from your mouth. Gone is that perfect image and all that remains is an imprint of that scent. Bad breath or halitosis affects everyone at some point or the other, but for some it is a daily, ongoing battle. It affects how you feel about yourself and how others see and behave around you. Everyone may not be fortunate enough to have someone tell you that you’ve fallen victim to bad breath, but if you are not sure cup your hands around your mouth, exhale harshly and then take a deep breath – if you’re still standing then you are good to go.

Bad breath seems to be quite a viable market with companies advertising the latest fix-it from toothpastes that last during the night to a little pill that covers you for the entire day. The average mouth hosts some 600 different types of bacteria, most of which are found on the tongue. The bad scent is attributed to the amino acids and proteins found daily in our food and are left at the back of the tongue. Since most people don’t take the time to clean that area properly, the bacteria has a fest on the leftover food found there. A tongue cleaner or tongue brush is the ideal tool for that particular task. Contrary to belief, since your toothbrush is designed and shaped for brushing your teeth, a tongue scraper is the only sure way to cover the necessary ground. Also, most dentists recommend that you clean your tongue before eating, since this will stop the germs from being swallowed with your meal. Research has proven that almost 80 to 95 per cent of bad breath originates from your tongue, while only five to 20 per cent are from the stomach and food stuck between the teeth.

Despite what you may have been told about toothbrushes and mouthwash, there is only one true way to get all the food from the tiny spaces between your teeth – dental floss. Floss is made from either nylon or teflon and comes in a variety of festive colours, flavours and shaped containers. It is advised that you should floss all your teeth, even the ones in the back, at least twice a day or after each time you brush your teeth. Studies conducted by the American Dentist Association show that only about 12 per cent floss each day, with a staggering 49 per cent not flossing at all.

Even after brushing your teeth three times a day, flossing just as often and scraping your tongue raw, the bad breath is still there. Deeper, underlying conditions may be solely at fault. The ongoing debate about whether the stomach is a common source of bad breath is still ongoing. Only the occasional burp may be blamed, but that isn’t a constant thing. Chronic liver failure, lung infections and a little something known as ‘fish odour syndrome’ may take the blame when all other traditional avenues have been explored and omitted. Fish odour syndrome occurs in a very small portion of the population and is a by-product of their bodies being unable to breakdown certain acids from the foods they are eating, especially eggs and fish.

To keep a generally happy mouth, one of the first basic rules is to brush and floss your teeth everyday, at least twice a day or after every meal. Since dry mouths can help harbour breath fugitives, chewing gum can help keep the mouth moist and ‘minty fresh’. Also, drinking the recommended eight glasses of water will help keep the water level in the body at its peak. So, brush up, stock the body up with water and you should be able to safely talk your life away.

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Source - Barbados Advocate - Barbados

Copyright 2009