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The Truth
About Bad Breath & What the Symptoms Mean |
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by Dr. Harold
Katz, Founder of The California Breath Clinics |
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Bad breath is
caused by Anaerobic Sulfur Producing Bacteria which normally
live WITHIN the surface of the tongue and in the throat. These
bacteria are supposed to be there, because they assist humans
in digestion by breaking down proteins found in specific
foods, mucous or phlegm, blood, and in diseased or
"broken-down" oral tissue. Under certain conditions, these
bacteria start to break down proteins at a very high rate.
Proteins are made up of Amino Acids. Two of the Amino Acids
(Cysteine and Methionine) are dense with sulfur. |
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When these "beneficial" bacteria come into contact with
these compounds, the odorous and "lousy-tasting" sulfur
compounds are released from the back of the tongue and
throat, as Hydrogen Sulfide, Methyl Mercaptan, and other
odorous and bad tasting compounds. These "problem" compounds
are often referred to as volatile sulfur compounds
(VSC), where volatile means Vaporous and Effervescent, two
adjectives |
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which accurately
describe their ability to offend other people instantly. |
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Because my original degree is in Bacteriology, let me explain a
very important fact about these "bugs". They are not "bad guys"
- they are not infectious. Everyone in the world has the same
group of bacteria in their mouth. You cannot "catch" bad breath
from someone else - even by kissing. Since they are part of our
normal oral flora, you cannot permanently remove them from your
mouth - not by tongue scraping, not by antibiotics, and not by
rinses which claim to "lift the bacteria off your tongue". The
only scientifically proven and clinically effective method of
halting Halitosis is by attacking the bacteria's ability to
produce VSC and by converting the VSC into non-odorous and
non-tasting organic salts. (I should know, I've personally
treated nearly 10,000 people at my California Breath Clinics and
I've helped thousands more through my TheraBreath formulas. Take
a look at a small fraction of
testimonial letters
to see What Doesn't Work! |
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Speaking
about bacteria, there is one other fact that you must
understand about these bacteria. They are classified as
"Anaerobic" - which literally means "Without Oxygen". They
thrive in an environment where Oxygen is NOT present. That
is why they DO NOT LIVE ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR TONGUE! |
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They
live in between the papillae (fibers) that make up your
tongue! |
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These sulfur compounds are actually by-products of anaerobic
bacteria (Fusobacterium and Actinomyces, among others). Everyone
needs these bacteria, because they assist the digestion process.
But, unfortunately, for some, as yet undetermined reason these
particular bacteria are found in higher numbers in those
anguished by Bad Breath. (Various theories attribute this to
hormonal changes, a history of medications, usually antibiotics
or sulfa drugs-which create an imbalance of oral bacteria, or
even Genetics-these disorders appear to run in some families.)
We do know however, that it seems to be evenly split between men
and women. |
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Conditions under which the problem becomes worse: |
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Dry Mouth |
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Although some cases of dry mouth are naturally occurring, most
cases are caused by one of these factors; prescription
medications (usually prescribed for high blood pressure or
depression) antihistamines, adult beverages, and mouthwashes
with alcohol in them. (see
"Why Regular Products Don't Work") |
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When your mouth is dryer, you have less
Saliva. Saliva naturally contains Oxygen, which keeps your
mouth healthy and fresh. These bacteria are anaerobic, which
simply means that they will thrive and make more sulfur in the
presence of little or no oxygen. Thus if you have less Saliva,
you have less oxygen, thereby creating an anaerobic
environment, perfect for the bacteria to produce more of these
odorous and sour/bitter compounds. For people with Dry Mouth,
products such as
Saliva Stimulation Tablets
can help greatly. |
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Post-Nasal
Drip |
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We know that proteins contain amino acids, which in turn contain
sulfur compounds (see text above). When a person has a post
nasal drip, mucus drains and coats the back of the tongue and
throat, exactly where bacteria live (see diagram above). Since
mucus is made up of interlinked strands of protein, the bacteria
have a field day, breaking down these proteins into odorous and
sour tasting sulfur type compounds. Strong Antihistamines don't
help, because the drying effect of the antihistamines also
creates a problem. The only method of ending the odor and taste
are to use Oxyd-VIII based oral products. Many of my patients
with post nasal drip have claimed great success with use of the
Nasal-Sinus Drops. |
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What About
The Sinuses? |
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After personally treating nearly 9,000 people worldwide, I have
yet to see a patient get rid of his bad breath following sinus
surgery. First of all, these anaerobic bacteria cannot live in
the sinuses. When someone has a sinus infection, one of the
common symptoms are intense sinus headaches, caused by the
pressure from the infection in the sinus. If you don't have
these powerful headaches, you probably don't have a sinus
problem. The fact is that once someone has an elevated amount of
these anaerobic bacteria, they will create the problem from any
protein source, including mucous, phlegm, etc, which drain down
the back of your throat into the area where these bacteria live. |
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High Protein
Foods |
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These bacteria love those proteins, and certain foods are packed
with them:
Milk and Cheese and most other dairy products. (The fat content
does not matter.) If you are lactose intolerant, do not eat or
drink these products! Since your system cannot digest them
properly, they are available to the bacteria for an extended
period of time. A recent research article from the Los Angeles
Times (November 1996) on lactose intolerance showed that nearly
67% of all Americans can be classified as "Lactose Intolerant".
This is due to the fact that in a diverse population such as we
have here, there is a predilection for Asians, Hispanics, and
African-Americans to be lactose intolerant. |
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Fish are high in proteins. As many people eat a high fish diet,
logically they make the problem worse. |
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Coffee with caffeine (and even without) contains high levels of
acids which cause the bacteria to reproduce more rapidly and
create a bitter taste for many people. (Virtually any acidic
type of food will do this.) |
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Coffee drinking was one of the problems that my patients used to
have. After starting my treatment, they have been able to go
back to coffee drinking (in moderation of course) without any
bitter tastes afterward. |
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What Works? |
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Oxyd-VIII is the active ingredient in TheraBreath products. It
prevents the anaerobic bacteria from creating the odorous
sulfide and Mercaptan compounds by "adding oxygen" to the
environment. The end result is the formation of a "Sulfate",
which has no odor or taste. Most of my patients start out with a
Starter Kit
and work their way up from there if necessary. |
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