The Bad Breath Blog

Few things evoke a wincing quite like the mention of a canker sore.  Not to be used confused with cold sores (although those are equally disliked) canker sores are those annoying and painful sores that develop in your mouth, making it hard to eat, drink and even talk when they are at their prime. Canker sores are fairly common and short-lived (although it doesn’t seem like it while you have one). Here are some articles that discuss these pesky sores and how you can avoid them.

Having a canker sore is hard to ignore. A canker sore is an erosion of the inner membranes of the mouth and along with pain; they can also cause bad breath. What causes a canker sore? They occur because of bacterial infections but sometimes a small cut or other vexation is the culprit for inviting this microbial growth. What is the best way to try to avoid canker sores? Stay away from mouthwashes and toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or alcohol. These ingredients can irritate and dry out your tongue, checks and gums which can lead to inflammation of the delicate tissue in your mouth where canker sores occur.  These inflammations may attract bacteria, leading to a canker sore. Avoiding products with these ingredients can reduce your risk of getting an aphthous ulcer (which is what a canker sore is). If you do get canker sores frequently, you aren’t alone. An article in the British Medical Journal stated that canker sores are the most common condition of the mouth’s membranes in developed countries. Also, don’t worry about spreading the sores to your friends – they aren’t contagious.

Looking for another way to possible eliminate getting canker sores? David Zabriskie, a 32 year old road bicycle racer that participated in his sixth Tour de France this year told the UK Daily Mail what he plans to do to stop canker sores. He’s gone vegan! Not only has eliminating eggs, dairy products and meat from his diet and replacing them with protein-rich seeds and rice stopped his canker sores and saddle rash, but he also stated that this change in diet has actually boosted his performance. Is this just a rare occurrence that David is lucky enough to reap the benefits of? According to several sources, it has been noted that dietary changes can help stop and treat canker sores. Specifically, a study in the Journal of American Board of Family Medicine found that by increasing one’s vitamin B12 levels can help to heal canker sores more quickly. No doubt a change in Zabriskie’s diet gave him a boost of B12, which is also known for increasing energy. Experts still aren’t fully endorsing becoming vegan to eliminate canker sores, but it could be a healthy side effect of making the switch. Rather, since these aphthous ulcers are caused by irritation, dentists are telling patients to avoid oral care products that contain harsh chemicals like SLS and alcohol which can inflame the tissue of the cheeks and gums where canker sores often appear.

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Please note: if you have already been lucky enough to win one of these bloggers giveaways, please refrain from entering in order to allow others to win. Thank you!

Talk about Lucky – My Winnings! has posted her TheraBreath review, perfectly titled “Welcome to a TheraBreath Fresh Mouth! Oral Care Product Review. Here’s a little of what she had to say about discovering TheraBreath: “I had come to dependant on my regular toothpaste and mouthwash but lately they have just not been cutting it.  While searching online for any home remedy solutions to add to my oral routine, I came across Therabreath being listed in google search menu and decided to look thoroughly into the product line.  Their site is so informative as well as their blog. Their product line is so multifaceted for solutions such as canker sores to dry mouth and used by a lot of celebrities (check out the coverage of the Golden Globes).  I suffer from dry mouth and was elated to try some products from the product line.” Were we able to help her with her dry mouth? Go here to find out.

Are you a blogger located in the United States and interested in reviewing TheraBreath products?  Just go to http://www.therabreath.com/blogger and fill out the form to let us know. Please note, we do not pay for reviews but will send the products to try at no cost.

The winter season brings with it many things: time with family, the spirit of giving, cold weather and dry mouth. Yes it’s true. The cold and sometimes dry weather can cause dry mouth (if you don’t have it already). Here are some articles that discuss bad breath and even offer some explanations and solutions.

Let’s back up a little and talk about dry mouth in general. Most people experience bad breath or morning breath from sleeping. This is because many tend to sleep with their mouths open or even snore, making your mouth dry while you sleep. But for others, dry mouth syndrome can be blamed for chronic halitosis and also dry eyes.

This can be due to Sjogren’s syndrome which is an autoimmune disease. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that people that have Sjogren’s have dryness is both their eyes and mouth because their immune systems attack their salivary glands and can also lead to hindered tear production and even arthritis. While you might not know anyone with this syndrome, it really is more common than people think.

Earlier this year famous tennis player Venus Williams publicly announced that she has Sjogren’s. She has dry mouth syndrome and it took doctors years before her halitosis, dry mouth and dry eyes were diagnosed. Williams is one of 4 million Americans who have this disease. Interestingly, the NIH stated that nine out of ten people with halitosis due to dry mouth syndrome are women. To treat this condition, lip balm and artificial saliva can be helpful and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is good advice regardless of who you are. Sucking on lozenges or any type of hard candy can be helpful in keeping one’s mouth moist throughout the day – just be sure to stay away from candy that has sugar as it can cause more problems such as tooth decay while trying to help with oral dryness. Gargling with an alcohol-free mouthwash can also be helpful, even to those that only experience morning breath.

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The strongest and hardest tissue in the human body is tooth enamel. Two percent of enamel is comprised of organic material—protein, lipids and citrate. The other 98 percent consist of water and the minerals calcium hydroxylapatite and calcium fluorapatite (1). Enamel completely envelops other components of the tooth structure, including the dentin, cementum and dental pulp. Enamel protects teeth against the daily wear of biting and chewing. It enables the teeth to withstand hot and cold temperatures, acid and other chemicals which have an erosive effect on teeth. (1, 2, 3).

Tooth enamel ranges in thickness from 2.5 to 3.0 millimeters. It appears white, but actually has a semi-translucent color. The enamel receives it white appearance from the dentin underneath. Coffee, tea, wine, and cigarette smoking discolors are some of the main reasons for discolored tooth enamel (3).

Causes of Tooth Enamel Erosion

Enamel has a high mineral content, which makes it vulnerable to “demineralization” from ingested foods, which contain starch and sugar.

Sugar

Candy, soft drink, fruit juices, and other sweets leave a large amount of sugar coatings on the oral cavity. Sugar may constitute the single largest contributor to enamel erosion. Bacteria flourish on sugar and generate lactic acid, which eats into the enamel.

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Please note: if you have already been lucky enough to win one of these bloggers giveaways, please refrain from entering in order to allow others to win. Thank you!

Mary’s Cup of Tea is a new blog that has posted her TheraBreath review and giveaway. Why the interesting name? Well, according to the blog, “A good cup of tea helps me relax and enjoy the moment!” Sound good to us! Here’s a snippet of her review: “We are pretty good about brushing our teeth and using oral rinses but I have to admit I have a problem with dry mouth which means I don’t get enough moisture inside my mouth and my dentist has recommended me to use some sort of lozenges to help with that problem.” Did our lozenges and other products help Mary’s family? Go here to find out. Her giveaway is also in full swing so be sure to enter  when you stop by!

As if one great review and giveaway wasn’t enough, Welcome to CRichman Freebies has also posted her thoughts on some of our TheraBreath products and is offering a giveaway. While many people do suffer from halitosis, others like this blogger just like to be 100% positive that their breath is as fresh as possible. She writes “I don’t have any issues with bad breath healthwise, I just like to prevent it at all costs! I think it’s really gross.” Those of us without breath issue still would like to keep on preventing it. Were our products good for the job? Go here to find out.

Are you a blogger located in the United States and interested in reviewing TheraBreath products?  Just go to http://www.therabreath.com/blogger and fill out the form to let us know. Please note, we do not pay for reviews but will send the products to try at no cost.