Don't know where I found this, but it was damn useful and somewhat enlightening.

Jason - Wicked Moon

Bad Breath

Bad breath or halitosis has been a problem for mankind since the beginning of most of recorded history. Never before have there been effective treatments for this condition until now. Most people will notice the advertising media is saturated with products promoted to help with this condition. Most, if not all of them, really do not work very long and some make the problem worse. Alcohol based mouthwashes can, for example, dry out the tissues in the mouth and cause the tissues to worsen the condition over time. Odors coming from the stomach are almost never the cause of chronic bad breath. It is estimated that nearly 60 million people suffer from chronic halitosis in the United States. It is also estimated that nearly ten billion dollars a year are spent to treat the condition; most of it wasted.

It is estimated by many experts in the field that 85% to 90% of the bad breath conditions come from sources in the mouth. It is not correct to say that it is primarily caused by gum diseases as some will tell you. Gum disease can be and is a significant cause of halitosis but recent research has confirmed that the vast majority of bad breath originates from accumulated bacterial plaques and food coated on the back of the tongue. Since significant numbers of patients can have gun disease as a contributing factor to halitosis, it is important that a dentist diagnose a person’s condition to see if that is the cause. With the help of a gas measuring machine called a Halimeter dentists and other health care providers who possess the machine and know how to use it can measure gases coming from the putrefaction of bacteria in the mouth called volatile sulfur gases or VSCs. These are compounds containing sulfur and include hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, the two most plentiful bad breath gases in human exhaled air. Hydrogen sulfide is the "rotten egg" smell. With this machine health professionals can more easily locate where the gases are coming from and can see if the measurements are actually decreasing over time with treatments.

The usual treatment of the condition includes the use of compounds containing some kind of chlorine dioxide or combination of chlorine dioxide and chemically altered forms of oxychlorine species. The VSCs are then chemically changed into harmless compounds with no odor by the use of toothpastes and mouthrinses containing those oxchloride species. Treatment can also include tongue scrapping with specific instruments to remove the coating of white plaque. This not only removes the odor causing agents but lowers the overall bacteria count in the mouth which can have positive effects on the health of the gum tissues.

If periodontal disease is present as a cause, some of the pockets around the teeth must be cleaned out to rid the source of bacteria putrefaction causing odor and disease there. Special ionizing mechanical irrigators, which automatically pulse water with an electric charge, and the use of fine tipped canulas attached to the irrigators can be placed into the pockets around the gum to rinse them out. The patient cannot feel the electric charge. The patient needs a dentists or hygienist to help teach them how to do this. The ionized water helps cause the roots of the teeth to attract less plaque.

For more information please email us or click on the United States map to locate a health professional who treats breath disorders nearest to you.

Richard D. Downs DDS


Bad Breath Self Examination

Do I have bad breath and how would I know? Many patients have asked me this question. They want to know how they could find out if they have bad breath before it is revealed to them by someone they love or work with. Even more embarrassing, is the thought that they would have offended someone with their breath and not know they offended them. The problem is, we are almost never able to smell our own bad breath because of a phenomenon called adaptation in which the olfactory (sense of smell) nerves in the nose become accustomed to our own smell. When this happens only those we interact with can let us know the problem exists or a dental professional can let you know about how much bad breath gases from the volatile sulfur compounds exist in your breath with a machine called a halimeter. Not all dentist have this diagnostic machine but more are adding it to their diagnostic equipment every day.

Three simple methods to help you test yourself for bad breath are as follows: First take a piece of un-waxed, un-flavored white dental floss and floss between your upper and lower back molars. Examine the floss. Is it red or brown? Wait about 45 seconds and then smell it closely. Does it have a bad odor?

The next test is to take a clean washcloth and then pull your tongue forward with one hand grasping the tongue with the washcloth. With the other hand and a clean white washcloth rub or scrape the furthest back portion of your tongue two or three times. Again, wait for about 45 seconds and then smell the portion of the cloth that was rubbed on the tongue. Does it have a bad smell?

A third technique is to simply lick your tongue on your own clean wrist. Wait, then smell. This technique does not get back far enough on the tongue to be of best value but can be a quick test in a pinch for time.

What Causes Bad Breath Really?

Many products have been marketed for the treatment of bad breath. These products include;

which only temporarily treat the problem. What is not known about bad breath is that it is more than a simple annoyance. Bad breath most often starts at the back of the tongue and this huge accumulation of plague can affect the health of the gum tissues. Gum disease can also be a cause of bad breath. In minor cases, products such as mouthwash or toothpaste might help, but in the most cases, this is not enough and can make the problem worse. Baking soda is not something I recommend in any oral product because it pushes the mouth into an alkaline pH which is the opposite direction one wants to put the pH to prevent halitosis or gum diseases which thrive in this basic and putrefactive environment. The mouth must be in a slightly acidic pH to prevent bad breath. Peroxide is also ineffective in preventing halitosis. Peroxide are oxygenating agents which can produce harmful free radicals and have been of concern to some health professionals when used for long periods of time in the presence of chronic inflamed tissue. Gum tissues are usually chronically inflamed and therefore are susceptible to negative effects of peroxides which can cause adverse cell changes to occur. I therefore believe three of the ingredients that should NOT be added to toothpastes and mouthrinses are baking soda, peroxide and alcohol! Unfortunately, almost all major toothpaste and mouthwash makers are jumping on the misguided baking soda and peroxide band wagon. Some of the mouthwashes contain very high levels of alcohol, from 8% to 25%. Alcohols can be harmful and I strongly urge consumers to stay away from them. They certainly can make bad breath worse!


What Can Be Done?

Bad breath or halitosis can be a serious handicap on your social or business life. It is a source of embarassment and shame. However, you no longer have to let halitosis affect your lifestyle. Using the latest technology, researchers have developed the HALIMETER, a device that can actually measure the extent of your halitosis problem.


Patient Home Care Instructions (Twice Daily)

Basic Care

Intermediate Care (If you purchased the Oxycare 3000 irrigator)

Advanced Care for Those With Gingivitis, Periodontitis and Severe Halitosis (Take your internal cleanser, enzymes and antioxidant food supplements if the doctor has prescribed them to you.)


Odors Coming From the Tonsils

Even though most odors come from oral causes, there are some who have odors coming from the tonsils and sinus areas. Many of those who write to me have expressed a need for information and treatment about tonsils with deep indentations in them which get filled with food and plaque that harden into a very foul smelling ball which is almost stone-like in some. This tonsillolith can be treated by the use of the Oxycare 3000 irrigation machine. Below is a typical letter from a patient who suffers from such a condition and then the response I wrote back to him.

Please be advised that I have found quite a number of patients who have had their tonsils removed by physicians for this and other bad breath problems. This is usually NOT indicated and is a dangerous and unnecessary operation for most people.

The following is an inquiry from California:
I was wondering if anyone has looked into the tonsils as a factor in bad breath. It seems that food particles get trapped in the tonsil crevices. The particles remain there for who knows how long. The particles seem to harden, and take on an awful odor. This is detected when one of the particles comes loose - sometimes after a cough or gag. The taste and smell of these particles is awful. Even my six year old boy coughed one up the other day. He removed several mushy particles from his mouth and was concerned because of the terrible taste and smell. I recognized it immediately as the stuff that gets trapped in the tonsils. Why haven't I heard any of these studies mention this problem? Not even the recent TV story on the subject. Surely, numerous people have encountered this problem. I would think it has to be a contributing factor in bad breath. If so, what if anything can be done about it? Thanks.

The response is:
Yes, these have been known about for a long time and some people have a problem with them such as yourself. Most people do not. They can be controlled by some people with a water irrigation machine such as the Oxycare 3000. That machine pulses water and can be directed to blast out the crypts in the tonsils. Even better, one can place the Oxyfresh rinse in the water holder on the machine and get both the effect of the water blast and also the stabilized chlorine dioxide to deodorize the area. In the section of this ABS site called "Causes and Treatment" you will see a reference to this irrigator and the other products. You can click on those product words which will show you a picture of the products.

Rick Downs


Let the American Breath Specialists help you!

At the American Breath Specialists we can help! By following our simple program we accurately diagnose and can therefore successfully treat chronic halitosis. Our program contains:

Maurine Mihalek, Dr. Richard Downs 1996