Bad Breath: The Truth
Friday, May 22nd, 2009The Truth About Bad Breath & What the Symptoms Mean
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.
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 which accurately describe their ability to offend other people instantly.
Because my original degree is in bacteriology, let me explain a very important fact about these bugs. 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, antibiotics, or 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 VSCs and by converting the VSCs 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 TheraBreath formulas.
