According to Air America, people refer to Dr. Harold Katz as the “final authority” on breath.  Dr. Katz has been on countless televsion shows like the CBS Early Show, The View, and he’s helped millions of people around the globe get fresher breath.  Some of his main areas of expertise are halitosis, dry mouth, and tonsil stones.  He went on The Lionel Show on December 11, 2009 to talk about “The Horrors of Holiday halitosis-2/" title="Halitosis">Halitosis”.  It’s definitely not a joking manner, especially if you’re standing under a mistletoe.

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Tonsillolith Dr Katz discusses tonsilloliths, better known as tonsil stones. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and cures and get rid of your tonsil stones today!

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Ever have that dull sore-throat pain that makes you feel like you have strep throat?  It may not always be strep throat!  Tonsil stones, formally named tonsilloliths, are chunks in the tonsils’ deep pockets that are composed of mucus, dead cells, and other debris.  They are usually not any bigger than a pencil eraser,  but they have existed to be more than an inch wide.

They are very commonly misdiagnosed (i.e. as food particles), and it has not been until recently that people have started to realize  how widespread of an affliction it is.  Also, tonsil stones can cause bad breath, dry mouth, sore throats, and ear pain.

Our very own Dr. Katz was interviewed by the NY Times, and he mentioned that one of the main questions he gets is “what are those things growing in my tonsils?”

As far as tonsil stones solutions, some patients try removing them manually with a Q-tip.  Dr. Katz recommends not getting surgery, but trying oxygenating mouthwashes and sinus sprays, since those neutralize the anaerobic bacteria that causes the stones.  Tonsillectomies can work, but it is not always recommended since some patients can get complications and excess bleeding.  

Click here to read about tonsil stones and Dr. Katz in the New York Times!

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Tonsil stones are bits of food that collect and harden in your tonsil area. Only
people with cryptic tonsils get these. Learn the causes and cures here.

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Whenever I have post nasal drip, my breath gets worse. Does this mean bad breath comes from the sinuses? 

 No. That’s because the anaerobic sulfur-producing bacteria that create bad breath live and breed within the back of the tongue and in the throat. They have the ability to digest mucus (because of high protein content) & then break it down into sulfide molecules, which cause the bad breath & bitter, sour taste. The correct way to fight bad breath due to post nasal drip is to use a combination of nasal/sinus drops and oxygenation tablets, creating an oxygenating solution to cleanse the throat and tonsil area.

 Can I still use my regular toothpaste and mouthwash if I use TheraBreath? 

 No. Almost all commercial toothpaste’s contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SOAP), placed in toothpaste in order to create a foaming action, so that you think that something is actually happening. It has no beneficial effects at all. Unfortunately it will also inhibit the potency of the active ingredients. That is why those who use Oxyfresh toothpaste should read the ingredients in their toothpaste: It contains sodium lauryl sulfate! This will negate the benefits of the oxidation process.

Once in a while I get these small white round dots that appear on my tonsils, and sometimes I even cough them up. They have an extremely strong odor. What are they and is this related to my breath and taste disorder?  

Those little round globules are known as tonsilloliths and they are most definitely related to halitosis and sour taste. They are created by sulfur gases produced by these bacteria (which are located across from the tonsils in the throat area). The sulfur gas mixes with the mucus and thick saliva in the back of your throat and after a period of time, condense into these concentrated, odorous globs. They are only present when one has tonsils, but not in all cases.

I have had many patients who have actually had their tonsils removed due to misinformation from physicians about this problem. Of course, these patients still had bad breath after having the tonsillectomy, because bad breath does not start in the tonsils, only on the back of the tongue! However, it can branch off into the tonsils.

Important: To reduce halitosis (if you have tonsilloliths) here’s what my patients tell me they have done to solve this problem:

Swallow 1-2 capfuls of the solution created with the AktivOxigen tablets, before bedtime.  Generally, you will feel that the odor and lousy taste are neutralized as the rinse solution passes the tonsil area.

 I scrape my tongue all day, but yet I still have bad breath. My dentist gave me this huge tongue scraper and told me to use it daily because it might scrape off the bacteria. I gag just by looking at it. Is there any truth to this or is it just one of those fads? 

Now, that’s a good question! In my opinion, and based on helping tens of thousands of people who have suffered with bad breath, tongue scraping by itself is NOT the answer. In fact, I have seen dozens of cases in my clinics where people have just scraped too hard and for too long, resulting in damage..painful tongue, dry tongue, and burning tongue!

We prefer to use the tongue cleaner as an application device with a very gentle cleansing motion on the tongue from the back to the front. This helps to apply the TheraBreath gel below the tongue’s surface to where the bacteria actually live. The bacteria cannot live ON the tongue surface because they are anaerobes, meaning they can’t survive on the surface.

 I don’t have bad breath or any taste problems, but I want to use the best toothpaste and mouthwash you have. Which products should I use? 

 I would recommend the PerioTherapy of Oral Rinse and Toothpaste. It’s similar to the TheraBreath PLUS line, but focuses more on gum health, which is still the number one oral disease in the world – more of a problem than cavities by far! And because chronic gum disease can lead to other health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia, and birth problems for pregnant women, we highly recommend PerioTherapy products.

 My boyfriend sometimes has bad breath. Is it possible for him to give it to me when we French kiss? 

 Simply put: you can’t give bad breath to someone else. The bacteria that create this problem are actually good bacteria and are part of the normal oral flora (the mix of bacteria that you need to function properly). It’s possible that the bacteria in your boyfriend’s mouth (tongue, throat, tonsils) are reacting to his dry mouth, which could have been created by smoking, medication, or alcohol.

 I can smell the bad breath coming from my nose when I exhale. What can I do about this? Am I imaging things? 

 You are not imagining anything. There are odors that can be detected in some cases as they emanate from the nostrils. This type of odor is due to mucus in the nasal passage and its reaction to bacteria in the nostrils (not in the sinus). It may also be a by-product of the reaction between mucous, post nasal drip, or allergies in the area beyond the sinus (in the naso-pharyngeal area and the throat/tonsil area). The solution is quite simple – TheraBreath Nasal Sinus Drops are the only oxygenating/zinc formula to attack this type of problem.

Is there any way I can whiten my teeth and get rid of bad breath at the same time? I don’t have the time to use dozens of different products several times a day. 

 Actually, our TheraBrite toothpaste is BOTH a whitening toothpaste AND a breath toothpaste. Just use it in conjunction with any of our oxygenating rinses – TheraBreath, AktivOxigen, TheraBreath PLUS, and PerioTherapy – All of our products are designed to work together.

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The bacteria which cause bad breath and sour/bitter/metallic tastes are anaerobic sulfur-producing. Their goal in life is to break down the proteins in foods that we eat. However, under certain conditions, they will start to break down proteins in mucous and phlegm.

Therefore, the people who suffer with post nasal drip, sinus problems, and other similar issues are more prone to bad breath and awful tastes because the bacteria will start to extract sulfur compounds from the amino acids that make up these proteins.

Scientifically, they feed upon the amino acids cysteine and methionine, which are common to mucous/phlegm and dairy foods. In fact, many people notice that when they drink too much milk or eat too much cheese that they end up with more mucous or phlegm in their throat. This is a natural reaction for many people and unfortunately, ends up causing more bad breath and lousy tastes.

If you still have your tonsils, you may be harboring a higher number of the bacteria which can lead to a misunderstood phenomenon called tonsilloliths. They are stones in the tonsils that are produced by the conglomeration of mucous draining down the back of the throat and volatile sulfur compounds produced by the bacteria which easily end up in the “nooks and crannies” of the tonsils, every time one swallows.

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Dr. Katz, our Bad Breath Detective, makes an appearance in FOX 11 news in L.A. His headline– Bad breath can be an indicator of a more serious disease. For example, sweet breath may be an indicator of Leukemia, and people with kidney problems develop a fish odor when they eat foods with protein.

In this video, we see the progress of Mark, one of Dr. Katz’s patients. Let’s see how he finally finds the solution to bad breath with a little help from Dr. Katz.

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Our Product Formulations: An Overview

TheraBreath, AktivOxigen, and TheraBrite are the first chlorine dioxide based products to be sold in retail stores. They are based on clinically-proven formulas developed and tested for many years on thousands of patients at the California Breath Clinics by Dr. Harold Katz. (TheraBreath PLUS & PerioTherapy are available only from us on-line or by phone order.)

Many people have tried to copy our products and their formulations, but as hard as they try, they always come up short. The reason: Our products are made with proprietary pharmaceutical-grade chlorine dioxide and specific oxychlor complexes, both in the active and stabilized formats, using technology developed by the leading scientists in this field. Despite what jealous competitors may say, we use chlorine dioxide in our products at concentrations sufficient enough to make us the best-selling, direct to the public brand, both in the U.S. and worldwide. No one comes close.

When GNC (natural heath product retailers) went searching for the BEST oral products for their very selective customers, they chose TheraBreath, TheraBrite, and AktivOxigen from the California Breath Clinics. When Wegmans Supermarkets wanted the finest breath products, they chose TheraBreath, and when Walgreens searched the ClO2 market, they chose TheraBreath as their exclusive professional breath product. When SelfCare Catalog dropped Profresh because of poor sales, they chose AktivOxigen and TheraBrite.

We do not use any alcohol, detergents (sodium lauryl sulfate), saccharin, artificial colors or artificial flavors in any of our formulas. We do not need to use bleach to generate ClO2 (bleach is used in Profresh). And, we don’t need to fool the public by creating strong medicinal or minty masking flavors, because our formulas work!

If you’re looking for definitive scientific proof on which oral product reduces VSC safely and rapidly, just look at these independent tests from June, 2000.

TheraBreath Nasal Sinus Drops:
The first Oxygenating Solution To attack Bad Breath and Mucous/Post Nasal Drip BEYOND the tongue, sinus, throat, and tonsils. All Natural Triple Strength formula prevents anaerobic bacteria from producing volatile sulfur compounds. No preservatives (no allergens like Benzalkonium Chloride) or artificial flavors.

Simply tilt your head back and squeeze out 3-4 drops into each nostril during the day to get to the source of the problem! And, because it’s all natural, there’s no danger in using too much. If you have post nasal drip, allergies, dry mouth, or tonsils, this product, in conjunction with our other clinically-proven oral products, is the best recommended solution.

The ingredients are: Purified and filtered water, Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized oxychlor compounds), zinc gluconate, sodium bicarbonate, tea tree oil, essential oil of spearmint, citric acid, sodium benzoate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil.

There is no ephedra or drugs used in the formula. All of the components are derived from plants or nature.

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TheraBreath Nasal-Sinus Spray:
Same powerful formula as our Nasal Sinus Drops, but packaged in a convenient spray bottle. Simply displense 1-2 powerful ’spritzes’ into your sinuses and feel the oxygenating power of OXYD-8 go to work BEYOND your tongue, sinuses, throat, and tonsils. All Natural Triple Strength formula prevents anaerobic bacteria from producing volatile sulfur compounds. No preservatives (no allergens like Benzalkonium Chloride) or artificial flavors.

Simply place the spray bottle into each nostril and dispense 1-2 ’spritzes’. With the Nasal Sinus Spray, some patients may notice a slight burning – this is normal and is due to the Tea Tree Oil. If you have post nasal drip, allergies, dry mouth, or tonsils, this product, in conjunction with our other clinically-proven oral products is for YOU!

The ingredients are: Purified and filtered water, Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized oxychlor compounds), zinc gluconate, sodium bicarbonate, tea tree oil, essential oil of spearmint, citric acid, sodium benzoate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil.

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TheraBreath Oral Rinse:
Purified Water, Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), sodium bicarbonate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, essential oil of peppermint, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, tetrasodium EDTA.
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TheraBreath PLUS Oral Rinse:
Purified Water, concentrated Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), zinc gluconate, sodium bicarbonate, tea tree oil, essential oil of spearmint, citric acid, sodium benzoate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil.
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TheraBreath Toothgel:
Sorbitol, hydrated silica, water, aloe barbadensis gel, glycerin, Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, carrageenan, xylitol, sodium fluoride, essential oil of peppermint, sodium benzoate.
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TheraBreath PowerDrops:
Purified Water, highly concentrated Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), sodium bicarbonate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, essential oil of peppermint, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, tetrasodium EDTA.
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Click Here to Order (4 Pak.)

TheraBreath PLUS ToothGel:
Sorbitol, Hydrated Silica, water, aloe barbadensis gel, glycerin, oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, carrageenan, sodium fluoride, zinc gluconate, ubiquinone (Co-Q10), essential oil of peppermint, natural flavor, sodium benzoate.
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TheraBreath Spray:
Purified Water, concentrated Oxyd-8 (proprietary stabilized Oxychlor compounds), sodium bicarbonate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, essential oil of peppermint, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, tetrasodium EDTA.
Click Here to Order. More product ingredient lists to appear so

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• An Easy Explanation Of What Tonsil Stones Are
• Where Do Tonsil Stones Come From? Are They Normal? Why Me?
• Simple Steps You Can Take To Remove Tonsil Stones (Without Surgery!)

New Article
Dr. Harold Katz, Founder
California Breath Clinics

Tonsil Stones (tonsilloliths) are caused by an accumulation of sulfur-producing bacteria and debris that become lodged in the tonsils. This debris (which can include mucous from post nasal drip) putrifies in the back of your throat, and collects in the tonsil crypts (small divots or pockets which appear on the surface of the tonsils).

When this debris combines with the Volatile Sulfur Compounds produced by the anaerobic bacteria beneath the surface of your tongue, along with the tonsil stones it can also create chronic halitosis-2/" title="Halitosis">Halitosis (and other stubborn bad breath and taste disorders).

Important: If you do not have your tonsils then you will NOT (except for rare exceptions)
experience tonsil stones. However this does NOT mean that you should
run out and get your tonsils removed.

As we get older, tonsilectomies become increasingly dangerous, but aside from that, even if you have your tonsils removed, you will most likely still have bad breath! Why is that?

You see, the sulfur producing bacteria breeding beneath the surface of your tongue (which are integral to the creation of those tonsil stones) are also the most likely candidates to cause bad breath!

So, even if you have your tonsils removed, unless you remove or hinder these anaerobic bacteria, your friends may still exhibit those tell-tale signs that YOU have bad breath! (ie pulling away, offering you gum, twitching at their nose, etc.)

And, since you can’t have your tongue removed (at least not in the U.S.), there is a better idea: Fortunately, getting rid of tonsil stones is not that difficult…

A simple combination of AktivOxigen Tablets and Nasal Sinus Drops will effectively eliminate tonsil stones without unnecessary tonsil surgery. Plus, occasional use of a Oxygenating Spray will help to immediately neutralize the anaerobic sulfur-producing bacteria on contact.

Now keep in mind, as you know from reading my ebook (the Bad Breath Bible), if you truly want to prevent bad breath then you must use an oxygenating toothpaste and mouthwash and ideally a tongue scraper to effectively neutralize the anaerobic bacteria from the very back of the tongue.

When you use such an oxygenating toothpaste and mouthwash (like TheraBreath) you will experience a residual effect from the AktivOxigen/Nasal-Sinus Drops solution, and it will stop the tonsil stones from ever forming again.

From my clinical tests at the California Breath Clinics (office visits available in Los Angeles and San Francisco), we’ve found that most people following this formula have reported a significant reduction or complete elimination of tonsil stones.

Warmest Regards,

Harold Katz, DDS

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