Your ToothPaste May Cause Canker Sores

Hello, folks. I'm back after a few months of being away from this blog. First, there was the preparation for my marriage in beautiful Guadalajara, Mexico, then the marriage itself, and an extended honeymoon in Mexico, including several days at the Pacific resort of Puerto Vallarta. (As an aside, Puerto Vallarta was where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton filmed "The Night of the Iguana" in the 60s. It's also nearby the jungle where Arnold S., the California governor, filmed "Predator"). And, of course, after being gone for a month, I was way behind in lots of things when I returned home, so this blog went on an extended hiatus.

Now back to reality.

I'm certain that you are well aware of this, so it won't come as a big surprise when I announce that brushing your teeth is essential to oral hygiene and one of several things you can do to control bad breath. But be careful! The toothpaste you use to scrub away odor-causing bacteria and food debris may cause canker sores. Canker sores are those annoying, sometimes painful, blister-like irritations we sometimes get in our mouth.

If you use a toothpaste containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), you should switch to one that doesn't. SLS is a detergent found not only in toothpaste, but also in soap, shampoo, shaving cream, bubble bath and car wash soaps. Some studies have suggested that SLS might contribute to canker sores, while others showed no effect.

According to the Swedish Dental Journal, January-March 2003, however, there appears to be strong evidence that SLS can wear down tooth surfaces and irritate the inner lining of the mouth. This isn't surprising, folks, because SLS is a detergent, as I mentioned, and so it can be abrasive and irritating to any part of our body -- our teeth, our skin, or our hair.

There are also lots of anecdotal reports of people claiming to have a lot less or no more canker sores after switching to a toothpaste that doesn't contain SLS.

If any of you get canker sores, let me know whether or not they stop when you switch to a non-SLS toothpaste.

Until next time, friends...

Vitamin D and Bad Breath

You may not be aware of this, but, in some cases. a deficiency of vitamin D may be linked to bad breath.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates a link between low blood levels of vitamin D and the occurrence of gum disease. Gum disease, of course, can be a cause of bad breath.

The study, however, focused on another consequence of low vitamin D levels -- tooth loss. In the study, a group of more than 11,000 adults over the age of 20 were tested. Eighty percent of this group had inadequate vitamin D levels, and the lower their vitamin D serum levels, the greater the risk of tooth loss. In fact, men and women aged 50 and older, those with the lowest vitamin D levels, had 25% to 27% more tooth loss than those in the highest range.

Researchers suspect that vitamin D may cut down on the inflammation that leads to gum disease...that, in turn, leads to tooth loss, and even bad breath.

How do you know if you have a deficiency of vitamin D? Ask your doctor to give you a blood test for vitamin D. If it's low, then spend more time in the sun, preferably in the early morning and late afternoon hours to avoid the sun's most harmful rays. You can also take vitamin D that you get at your local health food store.

If you have bad breath, check out some of the most common causes in No More Bad Breath , which you can access through this link.

Social Stigma of Bad Breath

People who suffer from bad breath know the disturbing effect it can have on their personal lives. It can lead to social ridicule and ongoing embarrassment, and impair social and sexual relationships.

It can also affect occupational relationships.

As the news media reported in late 2007, a Manhattan doorman was suspended from work on three separate occasions because he allegedly had bad breath – despite brushing his teeth and using breath mints.

Because we live in a hygiene-conscious culture, bad breath just isn’t socially acceptable. According to public opinions surveys, people form negative images of persons with bad breath.

Nobody wants to be a social misfit; therefore, it’s imperative that we take steps to stop bad breath. To ignore or do nothing about this problem is blatantly uncivil and unprofessional.

Unfortunately, many people who have bad breath aren’t even aware of it. That’s because our nose tends to filter out and ignore background odors – including our own bad breath.

Another reason people may not realize they have bad breath is that their friends and family don’t want to embarrass them or they just lack the courage to broach the subject, so they don’t say anything.

Since you may not be aware that you have bad breath , it’s important to pay attention to how people act around you. Ask yourself – do people tend to:

§ Keep their distance from you during conversation?
§ Grimace or turn their heads away when you are speaking?
§ Come up with all kinds of reasons why they can’t be with you?
§ Suddenly whisper among themselves when you approach them?
§ Kiss you on the cheek (instead of the lips)?

What's Your Favorite Bad Breath Cure?

What bad breath remedy -- be it a popular mouthwash, breath mint, or even some natural, household ingredient like an herb or tea -- works best for you?

Send me your cures or remedies and we'll list them on this blog. If you don't have any, check out some of my halitosis remedies .

Tonsilloliths -- Another Possible Cause Of Bad Breath

Tonsilloliths -- one of those 75-cent words you can throw around at a party to impress everyone -- is none other than tonsil stones. Tonsilloliths, or tonsil stones, are calcified growths found in the creases of the tonsils and towards the back of the mouth -- and a potential cause of bad breath. It's estimated 5 to 7% of the population have experienced these small, crumbly stones in their mouths.

Possible causes of tonsilloliths include the accumulation of food particles and dead white blood cells, overactive salivary glands, and oral bacteria.

If you notice tonsil stones in your mouth, let your dentist remove them. Don't try to remove them yourself because you can harm the soft tissues in your mouth and tonsils.

Learning about tonsilloliths and other possible causes of halitosis is the first step you can take to make sure your breath is always clean and fresh.

A Few Flossing Tips

Flossing goes hand-in-hand with brushing. It's essential to a cleaner, fresher mouth. If you omit flossing from your dental hygiene routine, you stand a good chance of developing gingivitis, an early form of gum disease. That will require a visit to the dentist. He will have to clean out the area where your teeth and gums meet, and I can assure you it's not pleasant.

Here's a good flossing tip to consider: Try flossing your teeth before you brush. You'll be able to remove the food debris stirred up by flossing.

If you're like most people, you're probably flossing incorrectly. Proper flossing is essential to keeping your teeth and gums healthy...and ultimately your breath. Learn how to do it correctly.

Here's another suggestion. If you feel uncomfortable about flossing the standard way or if you're not sure you're doing it correctly, try using a specially designed plastic toothpick or an interdental cleaner, whichever is easier to hold and use. The idea is to clean the space between your teeth and the area where your gums meet your teeth -- regardless of which type of dental tool you use.

Got questions or comments? Send them on.

What You Eat Can Be Good For Your Teeth And Help Freshen Your Breath

That's right, what you eat and drink can benefit your teeth and breath.

Eating crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery, for example, can remove plaque from your teeth, stimulate the gums, stimulate saliva in your mouth. The saliva can help minimize the effect of odor-causing bacteria (see my post for June 9).

Eat cheese or chocolate. There's evidence that snacking on cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and American cheese can protect you from getting cavities, especially if you eat them at the end of a meal. Also, there's some research showing that the fat in chocolate might help you avoid damage from the sugar.

About 1,000 milligrams (mg) of Vitamin C a day helps kill the type of bacteria that causes gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease.

Eat raisins. They contain phytochemicals that fight bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities and gum disease.

Rinsing with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay, according to current research conducted at the Chicago College of Dentistry. Tannin, another ingredient in black tea (also found in grapes and certain herbs) has demonstrated the ability to fight decaying-causing bacteria. If you're concerned about the black tea staining your teeth, switch to green tea.

Eat salsa or jalapeno peppers to make your mouth water. They stimulate saliva production -- which helps neutralize acids. Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals can also help prevent tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.

Learn more about other foods good for bad breath by checking out this link. If you'd care to comment about foods you know that are good for your teeth and breath, let us know.

Oral Bacteria Causes Bad Breath

Bad breath is caused by many things, but the No. 1 cause is oral bacteria. Nearly 90% of all halitosis is caused by these microscopic critters living within the folds and creases and pores of your tongue where they emit waste products that are high in sulfur compounds and smell like rotten eggs...or worse.

Unfortunately, there are many things that prompt the bacteria to propogate, thereby producing more poo. A dry mouth is one of the main contributors. We talked about this yesterday. A dry mouth can be caused by drinking alcohol, using a mouthwash with a high alcohol content, smoking, drinking sugary drinks, drinking lots of coffee, taking medications or drugs, sleeping with your mouth open, and talking a lot...among other causes.

So how do you control this bacteria? You can brush and floss daily, drink more water, avoid mouthwashes with high concentrations of alcohol, chew sugarless gum, cut down on coffee, and quit smoking. But if you want to know the best way to control bad breath bacteria and neutralize the sulfur compounds that smell so bad, visit BestHalitosisCure.com for greater details. As always, your comments and questions are welcome.

Dry Mouth Can Lead To Bad Breath

Dry mouth is one of the leading causes of bad breath.

Everyone experiences dry mouth. For instance, you probably notice your breath is not so pleasant when you first awaken. This “morning breath” is due to a dry mouth.

It occurs when our mouth dries out during sleep because of our body’s natural tendency to limit saliva flow when we’re at rest, and because we often have a tendency to snore or sleep with our mouths open.

Alcoholic beverages or mouthwashes containing alcohol can also dry out our mouth, as well as sugar-based beverages. Stress, too, can lead to a dry mouth, which can cause double trouble when coupled with the increase in stomach acid that stress can cause.

Unfortunately, you may experience dry mouth almost all the time. This condition is called chronic dry mouth, and, medically speaking, is referred to as xerostomia. It occurs whenever your flow of saliva decreases.

Medications for high blood pressure and depression, as well as diuretics, narcotics, antihistamines for allergies and colds, salivary gland problems and continuous mouth breathing are additional causes if you suffer from chronic dry mouth.

If you talk a lot, are a teacher, lawyer, or someone in sales, chances are good you have dry mouth.

A drier mouth has less saliva. Saliva, nature’s mouthwash, contains oxygen, which helps keep your mouth healthy and fresh. So, less saliva means there’s less oxygen. This creates a reduced oxygen environment – ideal for anaerobic bacteria that don’t need oxygen to generate foul-smelling and sour/bitter compounds in your mouth.

As we get older, our salivary glands work less effectively and the make-up of our saliva changes, reducing their effectiveness at cleansing and buffering the oral bacteria waste products. These factors can contribute to mouth dryness, too.

If you suffer from chronic dry mouth you should be advised that you are more prone to have gum disease, which is another cause of bad breath.

What can you do if you have dry mouth. Well, you can see your dentist or dental hygienist who may be able to recommend an artificial saliva you can take. You can also chew sugarless gum or sugarless candy to increase fluid intake. Of course, drinking lots of water can help, too.

If you have any questions or comments about dry mouth, don't hesitate to post them here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Breath Mints

It appears that man has been sucking or chewing on various things to banish bad breath for thousands of years. In fact, according to the web site, "How Products Are Made," people used to suck on whole cloves to fight bad breath more than 4,000 years ago. Anise, which smells similar to licorice, was a popular solution to bad breath in the Middle Ages, as were cardamom seeds. The early settlers of North America discovered that chewing on dried orris root and calamus root could help freshen halitosis. Breath mints evolved out of the breath freshening chews of the past.

Though Altoids (those curiously strong mints that come in a tin case) had been around in England since the 19th century, it appears that the American demand for a candy mint was not met until 1956, with the introduction of Certs.

Given that so many early forms of chewing gums, breath mints, and even mouthwash were derived from plants, it's only natural that people often return to plants for bad breath remedies .

A popular folk remedy for bad breath is chewing parsley. Chewing mint leaves is another fine folk remedy that has been used for thousands of years. Other herbs that can be chewed to remedy bad breath include basil, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

We'll discuss other remedies for bad breath in future posts. Until then, best wishes for a fresh breath.

Got Questions, Comments?

If you, or someone you know, has bad breath and would like some solid information on how to best cure it, let me know. This site is dedicated to helping anyone with concerns about bad breath.

Most people have bad breath at one time or another. It's often embarrassing and always socially unacceptable. It can be a big turn-off when you're close to people, especially the love of your life. Many folks, unfortunately, have bad breath all the time. It's what we call a "chronic" condition.

Regretably, most bad breath products on the market today are largely ineffective, e.g., toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath mints. And many of these products actually make the problem worse due to their ingredients. For instance, look to see if what you're using to freshen your breath contains sugar or a similar sweetner, alcohol, or sodium lauryl sulfate. You can learn more about these ingredients -- and how they make your breath worse -- by clicking on the link above.

Lots of things can trigger bad breath, though for most people it can be narrowed down to just a few major causes. If you're needing effective help in overcoming halitosis, post your comments or questions and I'll take it from there.

What To Look For In Selecting An Effective Mouthwash To Control Bad Breath

As a rule, do not use commercial mouthwashes to control your bad breath. Most contain nothing more than flavoring, dye, and alcohol. While these may kill the bacteria that cause bad breath, the bacteria soon return in greater force. Mouthwashes can also irritate the gums, tongue, and mucous membranes.

Look for mouthwashes that contain both chlorine dioxide and zinc. They can eliminate bad breath for up to 8 hours.

Zinc stops an enzyme from breaking down an amino acid that makes the sulfur (sulfur is one of the mouth odors we smell) and by doing this stops the process for a longer period of time. The chlorine dioxide kills the already formed odor-causing bacteria.

Another effective mouthwash is liquid chlorophyll. Use 1 tablespoon per 1/2 glass water for a gargle/mouthwash or a chlorophyll based mouth rinse. Use daily as needed.

To cure bad breath, check out the link in this article for more in-depth information about treating bad breath. As always, we invite your comments or questions.

Halitosis: A Common Disorder

Halitosis, also known as "bad breath" or "oral malodor," afflicts more than 90 million Americans, according to some estimates. It can be embarrassing and socially unacceptable for those people who experience it. Most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps about 25 percent suffering on a regular basis.

Bad breath can be a sign of a health problem and is typically caused by poor dental hygiene and the activity of bacteria in the mouth.

However, other factors may be involved, including gum disease, tooth decay, heavy metal buildup, infection of the respiratory tract such as sinus infection, nose or throat infection, infection of the windpipe, improper diet, gastric problems, constipation, smoking, fever, diabetes, foreign bacteria in the mouth, indigestion, inadequate protein digestion, liver or kidney malfunction, postnasal drip, stress, and too much unfriendly bacteria in the colon.

Halitosis can also be caused by a buildup of toxins in the gastrointestinal tract, salivary gland disorders, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, or diabetes. Dieting, alcohol abuse, or fasting can cause bad breath as well. "Morning breath" results from dehydration and a reduction in the amount of saliva when we sleep, which is needed to wash away bacteria in the mouth. Dieters and people who are fasting may experience bad breath because the lack of food causes the body to break down stored fat and protein for fuel; metabolic wastes resulting from that process have an unpleasant odor as they are exhaled from the lungs.

In the past, bad breath was often considered to be an incurable affliction. However, in recent years it has become increasingly evident that bad breath is usually treatable once a proper diagnosis is made.

The main problem is knowing whether or not we have halitosis. Normally, we are unable to detect our own bad breath. That's because our nose, which typically filters out and disregards background odors, filters out and disregards own bad breath. This process is called acclimation.

Some people suffer from bad breath without knowing it, while others build up exaggerated fears about breath odor even though they do not have it. The best way to find out whether we have bad breath is to ask for someone else's opinion. If we don't ask, other people are unlikely to tell us. And since bad breath can sometimes -fortunately rarely - be a sign of a significant general health problem, we should not be reluctant to tell people dear to us that they have a bad breath problem.

As always, your questions and comments about bad breath and oral health are invited.

Brushing and Flossing -- Tools For A Fresher Breath

Brushing and flossing are essential for proper dental health. After all, they help remove food debris that gets stuck on and between our teeth -- all of which leads to a cleaner, fresher breather.

According to the 2003 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, the toothbrush is one of the five inventions which Americans could not live without, beating out the car, the personal computer, the cell phone, and the microwave in that order.

Throughout the ages, men and women have grabbed whatever was handy to clean their teeth. For instance, the first primitive devices were twigs, branches, bones, and feathers. The closest ancestor to our modern day toothbrush, however, was invented by the Chinese in the 1400s. They attached a hog's stiff neck hairs to a bamboo stick.

A few hundred years later in 1770, William Addis, imprisoned for inciting a riot, created the first modern toothbrush in London's Newgate Prison. Most people of that period used a rag to clean their teeth. Addis' toothbrush consisted of stiff bristles attached to a bone he had saved after a prison meal. Once released from prison, Addis became quite successful marketing his toothbrush.

When selecting a toothbrush, it's important to select one with soft bristles. Harder bristles, combined with vigorous brushing, can harm your tooth enamel. It can also lead to receding gums. Don't brush up and down or side to side. Rather, brush each tooth in a gentle, circular motion.

Proper brushing is essential to effectively removing plaque from the surface of your teeth. Plaque, a sticky, transparent residue of food debris and bacteria that coats your teeth after eating, can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Plaque that hardens is called tartar. This is more damaging and harder to remove. In fact, it's usually necessary to have a dentist remove it.

Dental floss has a much more traditional history, and not at all associated with prison or pig bristles. New Orleans dentist Levi Spear Parmly introduced dental floss in the early 1800s. Parmly was a major advocate of flossing to ensure proper dental health.

Dental floss was finally made available to consumers toward the end of the 1800s, when Codman and Shurtleft, Johnson & Johnson, and other companies produced and mass marketed dental floss.

Flossing is essential in cleaning your teeth because it removes plaque from those areas of your teeth that your toothbrush cannot effectively reach. In fact, roughly 40% of your teeth will never get cleaned properly if you don’t floss. By not flossing, you allow plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) to form at and under the gum line.

When this occurs, you run the risk of allowing bacteria to get under the gums, which can cause gingivitis and more serious forms of gum disease – not to mention bad breath. To get rid of this buildup, you’ll need to see a dentist – and I can assure you, the process can be uncomfortable.

Flossing also polishes your tooth surfaces, increases the blood circulation in the gums, and controls bad breath.

You should floss at least once, but preferably twice a day. Most cavities start between the teeth. To give your teeth a good flossing, spend at least 2 to 3 minutes.

Like brushing your teeth, proper flossing is essential to a cleaner, fresher mouth. Click on the links in this article on how you can more effectively brush and floss your teeth. Got questions or comments? Please post them and we'll respond promptly.

Chewing Gum With The Right Ingredients Can Freshen Your Breath

Chewing gum can freshen our breath. But gum with the wrong ingredients can ultimately make your breath smell worse.

The key to selecting a good chewing gum is to make sure it does NOT contain sugar, especially sucrose, glucose, or aspartame. The oral bacteria in your mouth uses the sugar to generate acids, which lead to tooth decay. The sugar also feeds odor-causing bacteria in your mouth, so in the end your breath may smell worse after chewing sugar-laden gum.

Here are some ingredients that should be in your chewing gum:

1. Zinc Gluconate. Zinc inhibits the acid in your mouth produced by mutans streptococci (the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath). These bacteria thrive in an acidic environment, so when you neutralize the acids you kill bacteria (and you help prevent that annoying tinny, metallic taste). Another benefit of neutralizing the acids in your mouth is that you protect your tooth enamel, thereby maintaining a brighter, whiter smell.

Zinc ions also disrupt certain receptors on the outer cell wall of anaerobic bacteria. This prevents the bacteria from producing odor-causing sulfur in your mouth.

Yet another benefit of zinc glucoate is that it been used to help people with long-term taste disorcers by rejuvenating their taste buds.

2. Xylitol. Xylitol is an all-natural sweetner made from the bark of hardwood trees. It is an excellent replacement for sugar or Aspartame (Nutrasweet). It is the only sweetner proven to fight tooth decay. While sugar feeds oral bacteria to generate acids that can cause tooth decay, xylitol actually prevents the bacteria from doing so. It therefore creates a healthy environment in your mouth.

3. Oxygenating compounds. Oxygenating compounds cover your mouth and throat with oxygenating molecules that help neutralize odor-causing bacteria found in your mouth, throat, tonsils, and upper reaches of your esophagus. These bacteria are anaerobic, that is, they thrive in an oxygen-free environment. But the oxygenating compounds bathe the entire mouth and throat with oxygen, thus minimizing the ability of these bacteria to produce offensive smelling sulfur compounds.

You can freshen your breath with chewing gum , but make sure it has the right ingredients. Otherwise, you could be making your breath worse! As always, we invite your comments and questions.

The Evolution of Chewing Gum As A Breath Freshener

We can thank the ancient Greeks for first introducing the idea for chewing gum. They chewed mastic gum (pronounced mas-tee-ka), which is the resin obtained from the bark of the mastic tree, a shrublike tree found mainly in Greece and Turkey. The Grecian women, more so than the men, favored chewing mastic gum to clean their teeth and sweeten their breath.

Not too long after the Greeks started chewing mastic gum, the ancient Mayans were chewing on the sap from a different tree (the Sapodilla tree), which actually produced a sap called 'chicle' which is exactly where much of the gum in the US comes from. What's most interesting is that although the Mayan civilization literally disappeared overnight in about the year 800, the only Mayan practice that still exists is that of chewing gum.

Closer to home, meanwhile, the American Indians of New England were also chewing gum, but made from the resin of spruce trees. Although chicle-based gums would ultimately win out in the US, the first gums ever marketed in the US were those based from the resin of spruce trees. Then, during the mid 1800s, paraffin wax gum combined with sweetners gradually replaced spruce gum. The one drawback of paraffin wax gum, however, was that it required heat and moisture from the mouth in order to make it suitable for chewing.

Modern day gum products first appeared in 1869. The famous Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, while searching for a substitute for rubber, thought that chicle might work (remember the sap from the sapodilla tree that the Mayans chewed on?). He contacted the American Inventor Thomas Adams, and while Adams couldn't get chicle to work as rubber, he had the brilliant idea to turn it into a gum base. And thus modern day chewing gum was born from information that the Mayans had known for thousand of years - chicle makes great gum!

In more recent years, manufactures figured out how to add a variety of ingredients which are responsible for an assortment of proven health benefits (besides fresh breath). In future blog entries we'll discuss what ingredients you should look for in a chewing gum that makes it most suitable as a breath freshener . As always, your comments and questions are welcome.

Mouthwashes: From Urine to Listerine

Mouthwashes to freshen breath have been around for centuries and were used by many ancient societies such as the Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans.

The Chinese, for instance, are believed to have produced the first mouthwashes -- sometime around 2700 BC -- to treat gum disease, a cause of bad breath. The Egyptians rinsed their mouths with water and honey as well as cumin, ocher, frankincense, and goose fat. The Greeks, meanwhile, formulated a concoction consisting of boiled olive tree leaves, milk, pickled olive juice, gum myrrh with wine and oil, pomegranate peelings, nutgalls, and vinegar.

Ancient societies used other ingredients for their mouthwashes, including pleasant things like fruit, honey, or dried flowers to not-so-pleasant things such as ground lizard, minced mice, or even urine. You read that right -- urine! The Romans actually gargled with urine to combat bad breath. And you thought Listerine tasted bad! But since the Romans thought their own urine lacked sufficient oomph, they shipped in from Portugal what they believed was a stronger, more potent urine.

Interestingly enough, the Romans weren't the only ones using urine to freshen breath. Urine (which contains ammonia) was an active ingredient in toothpastes and mouthwashes until the 18th century. As you may well guess, all of these various ingredients were largely ineffective and in many cases were harmful to the enamel coating on teeth.

Now fast forward to our present-day age. In the movie, "Gone With The Wind," Scarlett O'Hara tries to disguise the smell of alcohol on her breath by gargling with cologne. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction because there are many stories of movie and theater stars in the early 20th century also trying to freshen their breath with perfume.

Years before Listerine became the number one washwash in America, it was used to clean floors, cure gonorrhea, and to disinfect instruments during surgeries.

If you're out shopping for a contemporary mouthwash, be sure to read the labels of the various brands. You want to avoid any that contain sugar or alcohol -- both of which actually contribute to bad breath. Sugar not only leads to tooth decay, but can feed the oral bacteria in your mouth that produces bad breath. Alcohol, meanwhile, can dry out the mouth, creating an ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria.

We'll have more on mouthwashes and their role in combating bad breath in future posts to this blog. As always, your comments and questions are invited.

Bad Breath In History

Foul and obnoxious breath is not a modern complaint. Mankind has been saddled with it for centuries.

For instance, you’ll find the problem cited at length in the ancient Jewish Talmud. Greek and Roman writers also addressed bad breath. For example, Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D) wrote that bad teeth, old age, and some foods could cause bad breath -- all of which are known causes for halitosis even today.

Long ago kings once decreed that bad breath was a valid reason for a woman to leave her husband. Now, of course, anything goes.

Centuries ago in England, the most famous playwright of all time, William Shakespeare, was acutely aware of bad breath when he penned, “Foul breath is noisome” in “Much Ado About Nothing.”

And, in “Midsummer-Night’s Dream,” one of his characters urges the others in the play to “eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath….”

You can find a lot more examples of halitosis in history, including the best cure for halitosis, by checking out the link in this sentence. Meanwhile, you're invited to post any comments or questions that come to mind.

Brush Your Teeth With Soap

Remember when mom used to threaten to wash your mouth out with soap if you used naughty words? Perhaps some of you might even remember what soap tastes like.

As bad as using soap to wash out your mouth sounds, people once used soap to clean their teeth for a fresher breath. During the first half of the 20th century, toothpaste once vied with tooth powders for market supremacy. Manufacturers sold the powders in tin containers or in a cakelike form that they called "soap."

Toothpaste, as we all know, won out, because it was more convenient to use.

Surprisingly, though, using soap to clean teeth is making a resurgence of sorts. According to Dr. Gerald F. Judd, who wrote the book, "Good Teeth Birth to Death: the Perfect Prescription for the Teeth," soap is better for the teeth than toothpaste. In 2003, Karen Adler decided to try to reintroduce tooth soap to Americans. She didn't like the idea of using Ivory Soap on her teeth, so she mixed up her own soap concoction. It includes vegetable oils and essential oils to make the soap more palatable. Her Adler's Tooth Soap comes in food-processed shreds so that customers could easily use a pinch to rub on their teeth.

Adler also offers a liquid formula. Just squeeze a few drops onto your teeth, brush thoroughly, and then spit. Of course, your mouth will taste, well, like soap, but with a hint of citrus, peppermint or eight other flavors including even chocolate.

Apparently, she has a growing clientele because her company grossed more than $400,000 in 2007 from online sales and sales at health food stores.

Meanwhile, other soap manufacturers, such as Wild Soap Bar, have followed Adler's growing success with their own tooth cleansers made from soap, such as Tooth Savior.

While brushing your teeth is one way to attain a fresher, cleaner breath, now you can add soap cleanser to the mix. I wonder what good ol' mom would say.

Common Symptoms of Bad Breath

Persons who have bad breath or offensive mouth odor typically experience certain telltale signs or symptoms. Perhaps you’re aware of one or more of these symptoms:

* People avoid being close to you or they frequently offer you gum or breath-mints.
* You experience a sour, bitter, or metallic taste in your mouth caused by higher acid levels in your mouth.
* Your saliva is thick or you’re aware of constantly clearing your throat.
* You have constant dry mouth.
* You experience a strong mouth odor upon awakening – it’s called “morning breath.”
* You have a burning sensation on the tongue…or cough up smelly white, round globules from the back of your throat or tonsils (called tonsiloliths).
* You suffer from frequent post-nasal drip, allergies, or phlegm in your throat…and you may have the feeling you can “smell” bad breath through your sinuses.
* You notice a thick white or yellow coating on your tongue’s surface.

Special note: Bad breath does NOT come from your digestive system. Of course, if you burp or belch, a nasty odor comes out of our mouth. But that is not bad breath per se.

Bad breath symptoms are just one of many aspects of halitosis presented on this site and our web site.

Smoking: Another Cause of Bad Breath

Smokers have bad “smokers” breath. Their whole body, lungs and insides give out this yucky smell of stale smoke and its leftovers. Chewing gum does not mask it and brushing rarely helps.

The odor emanating from a smoker’s mouth depends on the amount of tar, nicotine, and other unpleasant smelling substances contained in tobacco smoke. It adheres to the person’s teeth, tongue, cheeks and gums.

Another detrimental effect of smoking is that it dries out oral tissues. In fact, smoking is said to be the fastest way to dry out your mouth. By reducing mouth moisture, it diminishes the washing and buffering effect of saliva on oral bacteria and their waste products.

Still another disadvantage of smoking is that smokers are more likely to develop gum (or periodontal) disease than those who don’t smoke. Reportedly, most, if not all, smokers have some form of periodontal disease.

There are many causes of bad breath , and smoking is definitely one of them. The only way to eliminate a smoker's bad breath is to stop smoking.

If you have any comments or questions about this article, or about bad breath or dental health, please post them. We check this site daily.

Gum Disease Can Cause Bad Breath

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a bacterial infection found in the tissues surrounding the teeth. If left unchecked, this disease can seriously damage the bone that holds the teeth in place. As this bone damage occurs, it produces spaces between the teeth and gums that are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria to flourish.

These spaces or “periodontal pockets” are often too deep for people to effectively cleanse, so they easily become a source of a person’s bad breath.

Signs of this disease include red or swollen gums, loose teeth, bleeding gums, pus, and pain on chewing. There is no known cure for periodontal disease.

Once we pass the age of 35, we become more prone to getting gum disease, so regular visits to the dentist become more important.

Gum disease is one of many different causes for bad breath, but it is not the major cause. To learn more about gum disease as well as the major cause of bad breath and how best to cure it, go to best halitosis cure .

Tips For Overcoming Bad Breath

Eat parsley. Chew on a fresh parsley sprig after meals as needed. It’s high in chlorophyll (the chemical that gives plants their green color), and is known as a powerful breath freshener. In fact, some natural breath fresheners contain parsley oil as a main ingredient.

Drink or chew chlorophyll. In addition to eating parsley, you might want to try the bottled “green” drinks containing spirulina, wheat grass, chlorella, and other herbs. These drinks, rich in chlorophyll, are most effective when swished around the mouth before swallowing. Or, you might want to chew spirulina tablets. Be sure to chew thoroughly.

Chew sugarless gum. Chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating can help freshen your breath as well as prevent tooth decay. The chewing stimulates saliva production and freshens your breath because it oxygenates the mouth, aids in removing food debris, and removes odor causing bacteria. The best sugarless gums contain oxygenating agents to release oxygen into your mouth and Xylitol, a natural anti-decay compound and sweetening agent.

Bad breath is something we all want to avoid, especially in social circles or when we are intimate with that special someone. If you are serious about curing your bad breath, check out the best bad breath cure.

Comments, Questions Welcome

Your comments or questions are welcome as they pertain to dental health. You are invited to address your concerns about bad breath (also called halitosis), the types and causes of bad breath, and how best to cure yourself of it, how to prevent or treat gum disease, how to avoid tooth enamel erosion, what to do in the event of dental emergencies, how to properly brush & floss, and so on.

For a detailed explanation of bad breath, its causes, and the best medically sound treatment, as well as many other dental health issues, check out best halitosis cure .

Tooth Enamel Erosion On The Rise

Dental erosion -- the irreversible destruction of the hard enamel surface of the tooth -- appears to have become a growing problem.

Most people don't notice it early on because it causes no pain or sensitivity. The only indication that dental erosion is occurring is the smooth, shiny appearance to the enamel. As the problem progesses, the teeth become unattractive. And once the enamel wears away, it cannot be replaced.

The only way you can correct dental erosion is to have a crown put on or to undergo restoration of your teeth -- both of which are very expensive.

So what causes dental erosion?

The main contributors to the problem are acidic soft drinks along with some sports drinks, citrus fruits and fruit juices, wine, salad dressings, and some herbal teas. Even some Mexican food products -- flavored beer salt, candies, powders and pastes, particularly the Lucas brand -- are very high in acidic content.

Tooth enamel starts to break down when the pH level is 5.5. In fact, the lower the pH, the more acidic the drink. The pH of Coca-Cola or Sprite, for instance, is in the neighborhood of 2.7. Orange juice is about 3.8. Lucas is 2 to 3. In comparison, battery acid is 1.

Can tooth brushing help?

Don't brush your teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods or drinking acidic beverages. If the acid is on your teeth and you brush soon after eating or drinking something acidic, you only worsen the damage.

Instead, rinse your mouth first, then wait half an hour or more before brushing to prevent damage. A fluoride mouth rinse is best, although rinsing with milk or water, especially fluoridated water, will help neutralize the acid.

There are also other things that can cause dental erosion. Gastric reflux and bulima, which expose the teeth to stomach acid, can be harmful. Long-term aspirin therapy can erode the teeth...as well as professional wine tasting and competitive swimming in highly chlorinated pools.

If this article was of interest, you can find a lot more helpful dental health tips at best halitosis cure , including the best way to overcome embarrassing bad breath.

Some Bad Breath Caused By Stomach Bug

If you have chronic bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis, that you just can't get rid of there is a possibility it's caused by a stomach infection with H. pylori bacteria. This is NOT a common cause of bad breath. Nonetheless, if you have persistent foul mouth odor and you've tried several things to eliminate it but can't, then this is something you might want to check out.

Nobel laureate Barry Marshall reported many years ago that some people can get stomach ulcers from the bacterium Helicobactor pylori. He also stated that these germs may be responsible for some hard-to-treat cases of bad breath.

If you suffer from gastritis as well as chronic bad breath, then you should see your doctor to determine if this bacteria might be causing your bad breath. He can do a blood test to determine if this bacterium is present in your stomach. If so, he can then prescribe a regimen of medications to rid the stomach of this bug...and eliminate your bad breath.

For more extensive information about bad breath causes, the best cure (based on medical research), and natural aids for a fresher breath, check out best halitosis cure.