In Canada, a new probiotics gum has been released that allegedly banishes everything from ear aches, strep throat, to halitosis.  The University of British Columbia’s research contributed to the creation of this gum filled with ‘good’ bacteria.

These friendly bacteria, which includes approximately 500 million active Streptococcus salivarius bacteria, help to fight infection and bad breath.  It can help prevent tooth decay since it stops the ‘bad’ bacteria from sticking to the teeth.  According to sources, the gum seems like an effective way to introduce beneficial organisms to the oral cavity. 

In the near future, we’ll likely see toothpastes and oral rinses that carry probiotics.  Also, be sure to check out Aktiv-K12’s oral probiotics.

Source: Canwest News Service

Bookmark It

TMZ: Those grills come at a price! In an attempt to preserve what is left of his natural teeth, Lil Wayne had to suffer through eight root canals and other major dental measures.  He had multiple tooth implants redone, some new ones added, and a few real teeth repaired.  He also had his platinum and bejeweled grill removed since he has to go to Riker’s Island prison next month. 

His mouth, along with many other well-known rappers, is filled with gold and diamonds.  Some people have gold in their dentures or wear a mouth grill.  Allegedly, these grills can have a very negative effect on the teeth of those who have poor oral hygiene.  People can especially have problems if the grills are not put on properly. 

#LilWaynesbreath was actually one of the top trending topics on Twitter, and many people were speculating how Lil Wayne must have bad breath.  One of our followers even said that “maybe TheraBreath can help #LilWaynesbreath”!  If that’s the case, too bad we weren’t there to help!

Bookmark It

Dr. Harold Katz, also known as the “Bad Breath Doctor or the “Bad Breath Guru“, toured the country testing people for halitosis.  When Dr. Katz tests people’s bad breath, he uses a device called the ‘halimeter’.  A score above 100 means that someone likely has halitosis.  A person who has a score under 100 means that their breath is fairly fresh.  Many people were relieved when they found out that they had low scores on the halimeter. 

Unfortunately, it’s hard for a person to smell his or her own breath.  Blowing in one’s own hand is not a way you can really test how bad your breath is.  According to Dr. Katz, he says “it’s a good way to smell your hand.”  So, how does one try to smell his or her own breath?  Dr. Katz says that if you lick the back of your hand, allow it to dry, you can smell if you have halitosis.   Allegedly, the halitosis-causing bacteria will remain on the back of your hand, thus letting you know that you might have bad breath. 

All in all, Phoenix passed the “Bad Breath Test“, since Dr. Katz couldn’t find anyone with dragon breath!   That means that the Phoenicians are “kissable”, just in the nick of time for Valentine’s Day. 

Source: Phoenix Metro News

Bookmark It

A woman in Jamaica used a piece of wooden board to hit another woman because she had bad breath, and the woman had not wanted to talk to her because of it.  She hit the woman with a board when she was walking in Seaview Gardens in Kingston, and the woman hit suffered bruises and swelling to her mouth. The Corporate Area Resident Magristrate’s Court may have the woman serve six months in jail or have to pay a $6,000 fine. 

The attacker had told the court that she has been suffering from the other woman’s halitosis for seven years.  According to the Jamaica Observer, she said, “Your honour, I have been suffering for some time now because of this woman. She has bad breath and she loves to talk in people’s faces and I warn her not to talk in my face.

She also added, “…but I didn’t really hit her, she came up in my face and I had piece of wood in my hand and I pushed it in her face and it caught her on her mouth.”

In turn, the RM said “…and for that, you will pay $6,000 or serve six months,” causing the people in the courtroom to laugh.

It’s never alright to hit someone with a wooden board for having bad breath, but they should have used TheraBreath!

Bookmark It

On Dec. 18, 2009 at 8:50 AM PST, Dr. Katz is going to be LIVE on the TV show ’Fox and Friends’ to talk about bad foods (the ones most likely to cause halitosis) during the Holidays. On Dec. 18 at 9 AM PST, Dr. Katz will also be on their online program to talk about good foods (foods less likely to cause bad breath) for the holidays.  Check it out on: http://foxnews.com.

Bookmark It

More people than you may think have gingivitis–up to half of the U.S. population.  Some people do not even realize that they have it, and they might have common symptoms like bad breath, and/or swollen, red and bleeding gums.  Gingivitis can cause complications like heart disease, pre-term birth, and diabetes if it is not treated.  Most of the time, people think it is caused by a lack of proper oral hygiene or the hormonal changes that occur during a woman’s pregnancy (pregnancy gingivitis). 

A new study, on the other hand, shows that genetics actually can play a major part in the onset and healing of gum disease.  The goal of this study was to pinpoint various changes on a molecular level during the onset and healing processes of the disease.  Research showed that ~30% of the human body’s genes are expressed differently during the formation and healing of gingivitis.  How one reacts to gingivitis depends greatly on how the body’s immune system is activated.  The findings of the study enabled scientists to identify certain biological pathways activated by the onset and remediation of gingivitis, including energy metabolism, immunity response, neural processes, vasculature, chemotaxis, steroid metabolism and wound healing.  The information gathered from this study should certainly help scientists and doctors come up with better cures for gingivitis.

Bookmark It

So, who are the celebrities known for having the best teeth?  If you’ve heard the news lately, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt have topped the polls on “best looking teeth“.  Julia Roberts has been famous for her white teeth for years now.  Her smile is one of the most memorable in Hollywood, and after topping a recent survey for the best teeth among the stars, she still is ranked the star with the best smile according to most cosmetic dentists.  This makes up for the fact that she reportedly had bad breath from drinking too much coffee on movie sets.  Brad Pitt himself ranked #1 for best male celebrity smile in 2008, whereas David Beckham ranked second on that same list that year.

Who else has a great smile in Hollywood?  Halle Berry was voted the #1 female celebrity who had the best smile in 2006, according to the AACD.  Also, in 2006, surveys said that Mathew McConaughey had the best male celebrity smile.  Mathew had also stated that he had somewhat of an obsession with his teeth!  AACD chose Eva Mendes as the celebrity with the “most glamorous smile” in 2006-2007.  Will Smith and Anne Hathaway are generally near the top of the best smile lists.  Hilary Duff was voted by 40% of survey respondents for having the best smile among the teen stars.  Last but not least, the controversial Tiger Woods has been known to dominate the vote for the greatest smile among male athletes. 

Source: California Dentist

Bookmark It

At a Japanese fair, there were many new wacky inventions — some of them useful, some of them fun.  The fair showcased futuristic gaming, arts, medical technologies and more.  The crowd got to see things like: a monster-slaying bad breath blow gun, a navigation-aid helmet that steers people by pulling their ears, and a rain-simulating “funbrella”.

Instead of using bullets, darts, or lasers to shoot at their enemies, the players of the games boosted the power of their bad breath by eating snacks and drinking beverages to make their breath more smelly.  The players would then blast “stinky bad breath balls” at the video game screen to kill their monster adversaries.  This is one of the few cases where people may not shun you for bad breath–instead, you could become a neighborhood hero.

Bookmark It

Give this guy a breath mint before you put him in the jail cell!  A 19-year-old man by the name of Tommy Dobson robbed a TD Bank in Tamarac.  He walked up to a bank teller, handed her a Halloween-themed bag and asked her for money.  He was identified by his tattoo, “Wifey”, on the surveillance tapes.  The teller reported that the man had no gun, but horrible halitosis.  Dobson was charged with robbery and resisting arrest without violence.  With that said, if you’re going to be criminal, practice good oral hygiene or become notorious as the “Bad Breath Bank Bandit“!

Bookmark It

Some criminals are becoming more weird by the day. The good news is that these criminals may not be guilty of bad breath. In March, thieves were reported to have stolen over $800 worth of chewing gum from stores in the cities of Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Stratford, Connecticut. Then, in June, there were four more complaints about stolen gum, including one man who stole $175 from a Shaw’s supermarket in West Hartford, Connecticut. The reports of the chewing gum thieves in the news led to many copycat gum thefts.

According to reports, the criminals were funding drug habits with stolen gum. Some good questions: who would buy stolen gum, and how bad is the economy if packs of gum can maintain the junkie’s habits?

Bookmark It