Savings Alert!  Did you know that the Ralphs Grocery Store is having a sale on TheraBreath….. Right NOW?

You can save $2.00 on EACH TheraBreath Mouthwash and Toothpaste from now until February 23rd, and this discount will be taken as a scan-down at checkout!

Talk about savings!  And here’s a hint….. you can save even more by printing out and taking in the Manufacturer’s Coupons found at www.drkatz.com!

So hurry down to any participating Ralph’s near you (complete list can be found at www.therabreath.com/loc_retail.asp) and stock up on TheraBreath so you won’t have bad breath onValentine’s Day.

- The TheraBreath Team

 * please check with your individual Ralph’s store for offer limits on coupon redemption.

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Sometimes brushing your teeth after eating onions or garlic won’t stop you from having bad breath. Garlic can stay in your lungs for 1-2 days after you consume it! Therefore, making your breath fresh after eating onions and garlic is more complex than brushing your teeth and gargling. Here are some pointers:

1. Try drinking some green or mint tea after consuming garlic/onions.
2. Eat a lemon/drink lemonade.
3. Chew on parsley, mint leaves, or other strong-tasting fresh herbs
4. Try eating mixed veggies crushed into a mashed potato like mushrooms, carrots, and other types.
5. Chew mint/spearmint flavored gum
6. Drink a small amount of alcohol because it can kill the bacteria that feeds on leftover food in the oral cavity. 
7. Eat a hard cheese like cheddar or swiss (not American) to cover up the smell
8. You can try to use a smaller amount of onion or garlic while cooking
9. Use a spoon to clean off your tongue if you don’t have access to a tongue scraper
10. Don’t forget to brush your teeth and rinse out your mouth, of course.

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Bad breath plagues everyone from time to time.  In order to cure bad breath, one must know what is causing it.  The cause determines the cure for halitosis.  Sometimes food can cause bad breath (i.e. foods with spices like cumin and curry) for days on end, after they’re eaten and digested.  Food that becomes stuck in the oral cavity and lodged between teeth can definitely cause foul smells.  Poor dental health like tooth decay, a lack of oral cleanliness and periodontal diseases can all contribute to the bacteria that causes bad breath.  These bacteria build up between the teeth and omit foul odors.  It is important to practice good oral hygiene by brushing teeth regularly and using floss and oral rinse after eating.  Also, one should take trips to the dentist at least twice a year. 

Morning breath is extremely common among humans because some people have their mouths open while sleeping, which dries the tongue, gum, and cheek tissues.  Saliva, which normally flows through the mouth during waking hours, cleans up dead cells.  When one is sleeping, this does not happen, thus creating halitosis. 

Underlying illnesses can frequently cause bad breath, like some cancers, diabetes, liver issues, lung sicknesses, kidney failure, lingering acid backwash, and metabolism problems.  If you have any abnormal symptoms, you should get checked out by a doctor.

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There are various food products that help control the bad breath smell that exists in people’s mouths.  As we have previously discussed, halitosis is primarily caused by the volatile sulfur compounds (also known as VSCs) like H2S and CH3SH produced in the mouth.  Bacteria in the mouth convert proteins into substances cysteine and methionine, and these are metabolized into VSCs.  In general, halitosis cures focus on controlling the number of “bad” bacteria in the mouth. 

There is a strong relationship between the natural antioxidants of green tea and good health, since it has been shown to have antimicrobial and deodorizing effects.  For instance, green tea can encourage strength, energy, and decrease a person’s chance for getting cancer.  Methyl mercaptan, as you may have previously read, is one of the foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.  Along with other plant extracts, green tea extracts were analyzed with gas chromatography to see how strong their effects were on neutralizing the smell of methyl mercaptan. 

Research has shown that green tea extracts can deodorize multiple foul-smelling compounds in a person’s mouth, which can exist there from eating meat, smoking tobacco, and so on. 

The components and properties of green tea can help decrease the chances of someone having cavities and gum disease.  It helps mimize the effects of bleeding gums by helping the blood in the mouth clot. 

The deodorizing activity of green tea polyphenols is actually stronger than that of sodium copper chlorophyllin, a derivative of chlorophyll that is known to reduce odors.  Green tea also inhibits a bacteria called Streptococcus mutans, which is a major cause of tooth decay.  Green tea polyphenols also have a lot of positive effects for health issues outside of the oral cavity.  

Sources: Chemistry and Applications of Green Tea by Takehiko Yamamoto
Centre national de la recherche scientifique

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Certain foods cause bad breath like onions. Watch Dr. Katz eat an onion on air, test how smelly it makes his breath & rescue himself from halitosis.

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Prevent bad breath today by listening to Dr. Katz’ instructions on ABC News about the cures.

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Especially nowadays, many people are interested in alternative treatments to ailments like halitosis. Chinese herbs can be useful in treating bad breath without you having to worry about harsh chemicals. Of course, before using these herbs, you should have a consultation with an expert in the field so you can take any necessary precautions. Bitter herbs can be used to treat halitosis along with mouth ulcers; irritability; thirst; increased hunger; red tongue; red, swollen, or ulcerated gums; swollen lips or mouth; dry mouth; yellow coated tongue, and so on. Some common herbs used in Chinese medicine for banishing bad breath are Shan Zhi Zi, Huang Lian, and Mu Dan Pi. Various concoctions including other herbs such as trifala, senne leaves, aloe vera, and rhubarb can also get rid of bad breath.

If you are serious about getting rid of your bad breath and are not sure what is causing it, you should check with a doctor so you take the correct path in treating it.

According to Chinese medicine, one should regularly eat “cool” foods (low in temperature) like cabbage, lettuce, pears, peaches, oranges, melons (cantaalope, watermelon, honey dew), zucchini, cucumber, corn, snow peas, celery, carrots, and broccoli. It is also recommended that you should reduce the amount of spicy/hot foods, greasy/fatty foods, alcohol, and coffee that you consume if you want to avoid dragon breath.

You can combine Chinese remedies, “cool” foods, and recommendations from a licensed acupuncture physician in order to combat your halitosis.

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Studies are showing that green tea can eliminate bad breath (halitosis). Thus far, green tea has been used for countless things:  preventing cancer, stroke, heart disease, weight loss, and so on.  Green tea has polyphenols, which are antioxidants that protect cells from damage.  The tea extracts help rid the body of disease-causing organisms since the antioxidants raise the body’s immune system. 

The malefic bacteria in our mouths can cause tooth decay and bad breath.  Pace University recently did a study on how effective green tea is at getting rid of bad breath.  In this research project, they mixed green tea with the bacteria that cause tooth decay and strep throat.  Results showed that green tea inhibited the bacterial growth by 30% and decreased the amount of bad breath-producing compounds.  Drinking green tea may also help one prevent getting sore throats and colds, since it helps fight the bacteria harboring in the throat. 

This same study also proved that green tea helps toothpaste and mouthwash fight viruses by eliminating bacteria.  Although, when researchers added green tea to the toothpaste, the bacteria were fairly inhibited, helping the toothpaste effectively fight off the oral viruses.  The malefic bacteria that multiply in the mouth create bad breath-causing compounds.  The tea inhibits these pathogens and helps destroy the foul-smelling compounds, thus putting a halt to bad breath.  Green tea also helps remove plague buildup within your gums and teeth.  Plague is another contributor to bad breath.

Tips to use green tea to combat bad breath:

1)  Drink plenty of green tea.
2)  Use it as a mouthwash.  Rinse your mouth with it before and after brushing your teeth. 
3)  Mix it with your toothpaste before toothbrushing.
 
So for now, skip conventional breath mints– sugar only will make halitosis worse.

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No one likes having bad breath (halitosis) or smelling it on someone else.  halitosis-2/" title="Halitosis">Halitosis comes from the Latin word “halitus,” meaning breath.  As you probably know by now, if we do not care for our teeth and gums properly, bacteria will grow and cause problems like tooth decay.

Finding the correct bad breath/halitosis cure for you may not be easy, because there are a plethora of causes that need different solutions.   There are a variety of causes…everything from rotten food inside the mouth, lung abscess during bronchitis, poor digestion, and other medical conditions. 

Saliva is the body’s natural defense against dry mouth and oral malodor.  Saliva helps balance the good and bad bacterias by getting rid of food debris and other unwanted objects that can create foul-smelling compounds.  Saliva is the easiest cure to bad breath.  Morning breath is usually caused by the low production of saliva, so eating breakfast is important to get the salivary glands working in the morning. 

Also, there are many foods (onions, coffee, and garlic) and excessive spices that can cause bad breath.  Some of these edibles can take up to 72 hours after digestion before one can smell them on someone’s breath.

Here are some common pointers to avoid halitosis:

• Brushing regularly
• Flossing/using mouthwash
• Getting a dental checkup at least 2X/year
• Chewing sugar-free gum to moisten the mouth
• Eating fresh/fibrous vegetables
• Drinking lots of water and other fluids (excluding sugar-added drinks)
• Avoiding alcoholic beverages
• Trying natural remedies like green cardamom, baking soda, and parsley/mint garnishes.

Good luck!

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Chronic bad breath can negatively affect you in social and professional situations.  Unfortunately, we do not always know if we even have bad breath.  So, how do we tell?  Here are a few ways:

1.  If you usually have a white or yellow coating on your tongue, especially on the posterior part (back), this can indicate that you may have the bacteria that causes bad breath.  Try scraping that part of your tongue.

Also, you can lick your wrist, and wait five seconds for it to dry.  Smell the odor on your wrist, and that is what your breath smells like to others.

2.  Often if you have bad tastes inside your mouth, your breath is probably just as bad.

3.  Another way to tell is if people back away from you as you talk.

4.  People offer you mints, breath strips or chewing gum.

5.  Your significant other doesn’t want to kiss you.

What are some ways to stop bad breath from happening?

1.  Improve your oral hygiene, and definitely maintain it.  Also, don’t just brush your teeth, but also floss and use oral rinse for the best results.

2.  Drink plenty of fluids (especially water), but do not drink a lot of coffee and alcohol as these can leave residues that may create worse bad breath.

3.  Eat foods high in fiber as they are very good for your oral health and general wellbeing.

4.  Try to brush your teeth, tongue, and gums immediately after eating dairy foods, fish, and meat because these foods are very heavy on smell.

5. When brushing your teeth, make sure to brush your tongue (especially the posterior where the bacteria thrive).

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