Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a problem that is more common in adults than children.  According to the American Dental Association, it can frequently be a symptom of a health condition or a side effect of a medication (i.e. decongestants, antihistamines, diuretics, and pain relievers). 

Sometimes dry mouth causes the following: a sore throat, burning sensation, hoarse voice, difficulty with speaking and/or swallowing, and nasal dryness.  Consequently, if chronic dry mouth is not remedied, it can lead to tooth decay and damage! This is because saliva is needed to prevent a dry oral cavity, neutralize acids and dispose of food/tartar build-up.  Plaque can create acids that cause damage to the teeth.   Furthermore, a dry mouth is usually accompanied by bad breath. 

If a person’s mouth is excessively dry, it can negatively affect the oral tissues, sometimes causing inflammation and a higher risk of getting an infection.  If you suspect you have chronic dry mouth, consult your dentist for a checkup and look for treatments. 

Source: MSN

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Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is mainly caused by a bacteria that is allegedly anaerobic. The bacteria lives off of dental plaque on the teeth and gum line. Plaque tends to build up in the places in the oral cavity that lack oxygen the most.

Certain foods can cause halitosis more than others, like onion, garlic, and other spices. The smell caused by anaerobic bacteria, however, lasts much longer and is stronger than the bad breath smell caused by certain herbs. These bacteria also get nourishment from certain foods we eat, especially meat, milk, and fish. That is why proper oral hygiene is so important!

Xerostamia, more commonly known as dry mouth, is a condition that occurs when there is a lack of saliva in the mouth. Saliva actually has a very important role in keeping the mouth clean and removing food particles. Without these actions, one is much more likely to have bad breath. The salivary glands tend to stop working when one is asleep, which is why morning breath is so common.

Certain medical conditions are known for causing halitosis. Sinus problems and discharges, as well as other biological secretions can come out of the oral cavity, thus contributing to the smell of malodor. Tonsillitis, chronic lung infections like bronchitis, gastritis and other throat infections can cause bad breath. Also, if one has diabetes and does not control it, he or she may have a fruity breath smell, whereas liver failure can cause a fishy smell.

Lastly, if you have any concerns about your medical condition, you should go see a licensed physician.

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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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Reuters published an article about a study that found antidepressant use has more than doubled in the US, going from 13 million to 27 million Americans, between the years 1996 and 2005.  One of the reasons may be that more Americans are accepting the diagnosis of depression than ever before.  An increase in use, however, has not been seen among blacks.   

The researchers noticed that not only are more Americans using antidepressants, but they are also receiving more antidepressant descriptions.  According to IMS Health, more than 164 million prescriptions were written last year for antidepressants, costing people $9.6 billion in the United States.   

As with most medications, there are many negative symptoms.  These include the obvious dry mouth and bad breath, which are symptoms in most prescription drugs.  For that, patients should try out TheraBreath and ZOX Breath Mints. 

These drugs affect the brain chemical serotonin, and studies found that those undergoing treatment with antipsychotic medications were less likely to undergo psychotherapy.  However, the decrease in visits to therapists may be attributed to the out-of-pocket costs for visits and lower insurance coverage. 

The FDA added its strongest warning on the use of all antidepressants in children and teens, called the “black box.”   Unfortunately, clinical trials have showed the increase in suicidal thoughts/behaviors in people using antidepressants, especially children and teens.

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The best way to take care of your mouth bones is by maintaining good diet, fitness, and oral health habits. However, there may be more to it than that. The Academy of General Dentistry says that more than 90% of all systemic diseases show up orally.

Dentists can be the first to point out a problem. Poor nutrition can lead to various diseases as well as poor oral health. By practicing good fitness and healthy eating, you can avoid cavities, periodontal disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Another problem that can be easily corrected is bruxism, better known as teeth grinding.

According to studies, an estimated 80-90% of the population grinds their teeth to a certain degree. stress causes the majority of these people to grind their teeth; however, it can result in the teeth wearing down and chipping. It could also cause sleep deprivation, headaches and jaw problems. What are some solutions to this problem?

1) Stop chewing gum
2) Exercise (i.e. take a hike)
3) Stop drinking beverages with caffeine (caffeine causes anxiety)

Someone who grinds their teeth may eventually need dental repair. If you hear popping noises coming from your jaw while eating, that may be a sign of jaw joint problems resulting from bruxism. Also, be careful of clenching your jaw.

Stress and Oral Care

Some people are so used to stress that they do not notice when it is happening. Emotional stress can cause oral health problems including: canker sores, dry mouth, lichen planus (lacy white lines, mouth sores, or red areas), burning mouth syndrome, and temporomandibular (jaw) joint disorders.

With stress, you are more likely to get cavities, gum (periodontal) disease, and bruxism. If you feel that may be under a high amount of stress, try to be more vigilant than ever with your oral care.

Brushing Teeth

If you do not brush food debris, sugars, and acids on your teeth, they can erode your tooth enamel and cause decay. Plaque, an invisible bacterial film, can build up, harden, and turn into tartar (which can only be removed by a dentist/hygienist). Eventually, this can cause tooth loss and periodontitis.

Toothbrushing Tips

1. Brush your teeth 2-3X a day and/or after every meal
2. Use the right toothbrush (soft with rounded bristles, long enough to reach the back teeth)
3. Change your toothbrush every 3 months or less
4. Floss everyday
5. Eat healthier foods/snacks

Toothbrushing Steps

1. Hold your toothbrush at a 45 angle against your gums
2. Don’t miss any spots (start from one end and go to the other)
3. On the outer/inner surfaces, vibrate the brush inhalf-tooth-wide strokes towards the gumline instead of scrubbing
4. Clean your molars with a back-and-forth motion
5. On the inside of your front teeth, hold the brush vertically with up-and-down strokes
6. A complete brushing takes about 3 minutes!

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The 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.

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We’ve encountered just about every kind of bad breath condition possible.  We’ve seen the most offensive situations where you can smell the patient’s breath from across the room, to those lucky few with breath sweeter than a baby. We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve been able to tackle all types of bad breath, taste disorders, and dry mouth with our TheraBreath line of products.

Anyway, I wanted to share something special with you regarding a category of bad breath and sour/bitter taste common to almost everybody.

Stats About Morning Breath

Approximately 35% of the world’s population has a chronic, noticeable breath condition which usually leads them to seek help from a professional (which may often be incorrect.) This first group has bad breath concerns 24 hours a day, including taste disorders, dry mouth, and of course morning breath….

Another 35% of people are “borderline” – meaning that their breath seems fresh throughout the day, but they can easily reach chronic levels – if they eat certain foods (dairy, alcohol, sugars), after taking medication (antihistamines, antidepressants, high blood pressure medication) and always when they wake up – in other words, morning breath.

The remaining 30% rarely worry about their breath. The only exceptions are when they eat garlic and onions, or upon wakening (morning breath).

So what’s going on with morning breath?  Just about everyone has morning breath to some degree or another!

As we sleep throughout the night, our salivary glands slow down (for some older people, they shut down completely) because our brain knows we are not eating. This slowdown, combined with the constant flow of air over our palate (for those of us who are snorers or mouth-breathers) makes for a very dry environment on the tongue, within our oral cavity, and in the throat (the breeding grounds of the anaerobic sulfur-producing bacteria that cause bad breath and taste disorders).

As I discuss in my article about dry mouth, this creates an environment that is very conducive for morning breath.  Saliva is nature’s way of protecting us from bad breath, because healthy saliva contains high concentrations of oxygen, which is the natural enemy of anaerobic bacteria.  So if you get morning breath after a good night’s sleep, don’t worry – you’re not alone!

What most people don’t know (and this includes most medical and dental professionals), is that morning breath is not something that you have to live with.

The key is to find a way to stop the production of VSCs (volatile sulfur compounds) during the night as you are asleep. One way is to increase the production of saliva within the back of your throat and mouth during the night. However, this is very difficult to do – after all, you’re asleep! Furthermore, those of us who are mouth-breathers are drying out the back of our throats with each breath that we take throughout the night.

A better and easier way is to stop the production of volatile sulfur compounds by the bacteria that create morning breath – and this is exactly what AktivOxigen Tablets are designed to do!   What makes this rinse so effective is that you can actually swallow the resulting solution and slowly let it run down the back of your throat and tonsils. If you do this right before bedtime, this coats your throat for the entire night and virtually eliminates morning breath.

Also, for those of you who suffer from tonsilloliths (that’s the scientific term for those nasty odorous globs growing deep in the crypts of your tonsils) or congested sinuses will find instant relief from using the combination of AktivOxigen Tablets and Nasal-Sinus Drops. Nasal-Sinus Drops are potent drops you put in your nose that slowly trickle through your sinuses and down your throat destroying the bad breath bacteria on contact.

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Brushing, flossing, and gargling may all be part of your daily oral hygiene routine, but taking these steps may not be enough if you have other issues.

Medications like antidepressants, diuretics, and aspirin can dry the mouth. With dry mouth, there is a lack of saliva, and saliva is what rinses away bacteria that make breath odor foul.

Bacteria – Some people may be prone to bad breath more than others. Bacteria exist on the tongue, and expel gases as they munch on food particles and other substances broken down from saliva. Also, they multiply at night, since the salivary glands slow down when you are sleeping. H. pylori, a type of bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers, can cause bad breath and gum disease if it finds a place to reside in your mouth.

Respiratory tract infections- While gum and tooth infections can cause bad breath, so can bronchitis, sinusitis, and even colds. RTIs break down tissue, which starts a flow of mucus and cells that feed bacteria that can emit foul odors.

Skipping breakfast– Not only does breakfast benefit your body and mind, but it helps to stimulate saliva production and scrub bacteria from the tongue (depending in what you eat, of course).

Diet- Low-carb diets can burn stored fat, thus creating toxic-smelling ketones. Foods that generate large amounts of amino acids, like dairy products and foods high in protein, can fuel the bacteria that produce bad breath. Obesity has also been linked with bad breath.

Breathing out of your mouth- When the tissues in your mouth are dry, saliva is prevented from washing away bacteria; thus, bad breath is encouraged. Major candidates for this are people who suffer from sleep apnea, asthma, and snoring.

Chronic illnesses- Breath that is chronically potent in a certain smell can signify a disease. For example, kidney failure can make your breath smell fishy, and uncontrolled diabetes can make your breath smell fruity.

Alcohol- Plain and simple, alcohol is dehydrating, and having a dry mouth encourages bad breath.

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Saliva is a very important part of oral health. With regards to the topic at hand, saliva provides 3 important functions:

1. Provides enzymes to help with digestion of food
2. Provides a method to stabilize pH (keep the acid levels in check)
3. Provides high levels of oxygen in order to keep oral tissues healthy and fresh.

If you suffer from dry mouth (Xerostomia) symptoms, you naturally have less saliva. In turn, less saliva means less oxygen. If there is less oxygen available in the oral environment you have an anaerobic environment, which is perfect for these sulfur-producing bacteria. In essence, the bacteria are now capable of making high levels of sulfur gases, which in turn make the breath and taste worse.

It is also true that some tongue formations are also more conducive to dry mouth than others. Generally, the rougher one’s tongue, the more likely they are to have a bad breath problem. This is connected to the belief by some that bad breath can be an inherited trait. Truthfully, one cannot inherit the bacteria of bad breath, but one can inherit a specific shape (geography) of tongue, just as one would inherit a parent’s eye color, hair color, height, and ear shape.

In the graphic on this page, one sees a deep groove going down the middle of the tongue; this is known as a “fissured” tongue and it may lead to a great deal of the anaerobic bacteria breeding at the bottom of this fissure, because oxygen cannot get to the bottom of the fissure (another reason why tongue scraping without oxidizing products is a waste of time).

Some people may have a condition known as “hairy tongue,” which again describes the fibers that make up the tongue (papillae), being slightly longer than the norm. The longer the papillae, the more rough the appearance of the tongue and of course the better to trap the sulfur producing bacteria.

Once the tongue becomes very dry, or if the tongue becomes irritated by extra hard scraping or brushing, the outer layer becomes very sensitive. One prevalent condition among older people is “burning tongue syndrome”. It is common among both sexes, but slightly higher among women. That fact has caused some scientists to believe that there is a hormonal component to “burning tongue syndrome.” Many patients who are diabetic may notice a burning of the tongue once they become thirsty. It is important, when one has these types of symptoms, to stay away from oral rinses that may burn or make your mouth dry. The resulting pain is indescribably painful according to many of my patients.

The standard recommendation for burning tongue syndrome and dry mouth is the following:

(among patients we have treated)

• Stop using oral products which make your mouth dry and/or contain sodium lauryl sulfate (see list of oral products at “Oral Products That Create halitosis-2/" title="Halitosis">Halitosis”).
• Stop drinking citrus juices (tomato, orange, grapefruit, etc.).
• Avoid coffee.
• Do not smoke.
• See your physician regarding possibility of diabetes or thyroid problems.

• Coat tongue twice daily with toothgel and let sit on tongue for 90 seconds.
• Rinse with 1-2 capfuls of oral rinse for 90 seconds.
• Drink 8 glasses of water per day.
• Take Vitamin C on a daily basis as recommended on label.
• Mints and oxygenating tablets can also be helpful.

Tonsils and Tonsilloliths:

(Those white-yellow stones that get stuck in your throat).

These bacteria can breed very easily in the back of the throat, and especially the tonsils, if you still have them. One important fact to remember: the bacteria never start off in the throat or tonsils. They only get there because the bugs originate on the back of the tongue which contacts the throat & tonsils every time you swallow. When someone has post nasal drip or allergies, it is possible to form little “white globs” scientifically known as tonsilloliths. They are a combination of sulfur compounds (produced by the bacteria) and mucous (from post nasal drip). Their smell is very strong! Do not attempt to pick them out yourself; you’ll cause a lot of bleeding. Many dentists and physicians don’t know what they are. They are not food particles, and it is not the sign of infection. Do not have a tonsillectomy for this reason because you will still have bad breath due to the fact that the bacteria is still on the back of your tongue. If you no longer have your tonsils, a similar reaction takes place if you have had a history of sore throats your throat is much rougher.

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