| PART I: THE SCIENCE OF HALITOSIS AND | | | | of little or no oxygen. Thus if you have less saliva, you |
| BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTHHalitosis, also more | | | | have less oxygen, thereby creating an anaerobic |
| commonly known as bad breath, is caused by | | | | environment, perfect for the bacteria to produce |
| anaerobic producing bacteria which normally live | | | | halitosis and sour/bitter tasting compounds.Post Nasal |
| WITHIN the surface of the tongue and in the throat. | | | | Drip and HalitosisPost nasal drip is a condition where |
| These bacteria are supposed to be there because | | | | mucous drains and coats the back of the tongue and |
| they assist with digestion by breaking down proteins | | | | throat. These locations of the oral environment are |
| found in specific foods, mucous or phlegm, blood, and in | | | | exactly where bacteria live. We have learned that |
| diseased or "broken-down" oral tissue. Under certain | | | | proteins contain amino acids, which in turn contain |
| conditions, these bacteria start to break down proteins | | | | halitosis producing sulfur compounds. Since mucous is |
| at a very high rate. Proteins are made up of amino | | | | made up of interlinked strands of protein, with the |
| acids, two of which (Cysteine and Methionine) are | | | | condition of post nasal drip, the bacteria has a field day |
| dense with sulfur.When the "beneficial" bacteria come | | | | breaking down the proteins into halitosis and sour |
| into contact with these amino acids, the halitosis and | | | | tasting sulfur type compounds. Strong antihistamines |
| "lousy-tasting" sulfur compounds are released from the | | | | will not provide any help because of their drying |
| back of the tongue and throat. These halitosis | | | | effect.The Sinuses and HalitosisAfter personally |
| compounds are often scientifically referred to as | | | | treating nearly 9,000 people worldwide, I have yet to |
| Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC's), where volatile | | | | see a patient get rid of halitosis following sinus surgery. |
| means vaporous and effervescent.Because my | | | | First of all, these anaerobic bacteria cannot live in the |
| original degree is in Bacteriology, let me explain a very | | | | sinuses. When someone has a sinus infection, one of |
| important fact about these "bugs". First of all they are | | | | the common symptoms are intense sinus headaches |
| not infectious. Everyone in the world has the same | | | | caused by the pressure from the infection in the sinus. |
| group of bacteria in their mouth. You cannot "catch" | | | | If you don't have these powerful headaches, you |
| halitosis from someone, even through kissing. Since | | | | probably don't have a sinus problem. The fact is that |
| they are part of our normal oral flora, you cannot | | | | once someone has an elevated amount of these |
| permanently remove them from your mouth either, not | | | | anaerobic bacteria, they will create a halitosis problem |
| by tongue scraping, not with antibiotics, and not by | | | | from any protein source, including mucous, phlegm, etc. |
| using rinses which claim to "lift the bacteria off your | | | | which drain down the back of your throat into the area |
| tongue". The only scientifically proven and clinically | | | | where these bacteria live.High Protein Foods and |
| effective method of halting halitosis is by attacking the | | | | HalitosisThose halitosis causing bacteria love proteins, |
| bacteria's ability to produce VSC's, and by converting | | | | and certain foods are packed with them such as dairy |
| the VSC's into non-odorous and non-tasting organic | | | | foods, fish, and even coffee.Milk and cheese and most |
| salts.Speaking about bacteria, there is one other fact | | | | other dairy products are high in protein. A special note |
| that you must understand about them. They are | | | | if you are lactose intolerant...I recommend you not eat |
| classified as "anaerobic" which literally means "without | | | | or drink these products! Since your system cannot |
| oxygen". They thrive in an environment where oxygen | | | | digest them properly, they are available to the bacteria |
| is NOT present. That is why they do not live on the | | | | for an extended period of time. A research article |
| surface of your tongue. Instead, they live in between | | | | from the Los Angeles Times (November 1996) on |
| the papillae (fibers) that make up your tongue.These | | | | lactose intolerance revealed that nearly 67% of all |
| sulfur compounds are actually by-products of | | | | Americans can be classified as "lactose intolerant". |
| anaerobic bacteria. Everyone needs these bacteria | | | | This is due to the fact that in a diverse population such |
| because they assist the digestion process. | | | | as we have here, there is a predilection for Asians, |
| Unfortunately as of yet for some undetermined | | | | Hispanics, and African-Americans to be lactose |
| reason, these particular bacteria are found in higher | | | | intolerant.Fish is high in protein as well. As many people |
| numbers in those plagued by halitosis. There are | | | | tend to eat a high fish diet, logically, they make a |
| various theories that attribute the cause of halitosis to | | | | halitosis problem worse.Coffee, with or even without |
| hormonal changes, a history of taking medications | | | | caffeine, contains high levels of acids which cause the |
| (usually antibiotics or sulfa drugs because they create | | | | bacteria that creates halitosis to reproduce more |
| an imbalance of oral bacteria), or even due to genetics | | | | rapidly and create a bitter taste for many people. |
| (halitosis disorders appear to run in some families). It is | | | | Virtually any acidic type of food will do this.PART III: |
| known however, that halitosis seems to be evenly split | | | | WHAT WORKS IN SOLVING A HALITOSIS |
| between men and women.PART II: THE CONDITIONS | | | | PROBLEMIn the search for products that help in |
| UNDER WHICH HALITOSIS BECOMES | | | | solving halitosis, there is one particular ingredient I highly |
| WORSEThere are certain conditions that exasperate | | | | recommend, Oxyd-VIII. It is an active ingredient |
| a halitosis problem such as dry mouth, post nasal drip, | | | | comprised of stabilized chlorine dioxide that prevents |
| the sinuses, and eating high protein foods.Dry Mouth | | | | the anaerobic bacteria from creating the sulfide and |
| and HalitosisAlthough some cases of dry mouth are | | | | Mercaptan compounds of halitosis. Oxyd-VIII does this |
| naturally occurring, most cases are caused by one of | | | | by "adding oxygen" to the oral environment. The end |
| the following factors: prescription medications (usually | | | | result is the formation of a "sulfate" which has no odor |
| prescribed for high blood pressure or depression), | | | | or taste (as opposed to sulfur which has an odor and |
| antihistamines, and adult beverages that contain | | | | bitter/sour taste). Most of the patients I treat start out |
| alcohol.When your mouth is dryer you have less saliva. | | | | with a starter kit that contains this active oxygen |
| Saliva naturally contains oxygen, which keeps your | | | | producing ingredient and work their way up from |
| mouth healthy and fresh. The bacteria that cause | | | | there.Dr. Harold Katz is the worldwide expert on the |
| halitosis are anaerobic, which again simply means that | | | | topic of halitosis. Are you searching for a solution to |
| they will thrive and make more sulfur in the presence | | | | stop halitosis? |