Bad Breath Treatment

Bad breath–aka Halitosis or Malodor

Whatever you want to call it, bad breath stinks. For chronic sufferers this condition is a daily nightmare.

We spend more than a BILLION DOLLARS a year for bad breath cover-ups. The problem, however, is often only made worse by these cover-ups. Hitting your mouth with strong anti-bacterial washes will kill ALL the bacteria, including the good. Bacteria are built to survive and will start regrowing immediately... with the "bad" bacteria often taking over.

It almost makes you wonder if these coverup treatments are planned to keep you constantly dowsing your mouth and buying more product. 

To get at the source of most chronic bad breath, it takes a deeper approach. One has to get at the root of the problem which is bacterial imbalance and the overgrowth of certain bacteria. Mouthwashes and such will NOT get down deep into your gums and into the crevices of your mouth and so they are temporary solutions at best.

As a chronic condition, this problem is suffered by roughly one out of every four people. 

In fact, In terms of reasons why people visit the dentist, this condition comes in at #3, surpassed only by #1) gum or periodontal disease and #2) cavities and tooth decay.

IMPORTANT: In some cases, bad breath can be an indicator of other potential health situations. It is always advised that chronic bad breath sufferers also receive a complete physical checkup as well.

Chronic bad breath is different than the occasional bad breath we all experience that might come from identifiable sources such as garlic, heavy foods, alcohol, etc. In these cases the remedy is usually simple: brush your teeth, gargle mouthwash, chew some gum (or parsley) and so on.

Chronic, persistent bad breath is another story. While there are some cases that stem from underlying medical conditions, the majority of persistent bad breath is produced by bacterial growth on the back of the tongue or in the gums.

And bad breath is not just embarrassing, the odor-producing bacteria also contribute to gum disease, tooth decay and other ailments.

Sure you can cover it up, but the real solution is to tackle the problem at its source–the proliferation and overgrowth of odor-causing bacteria found in the mouth.

How Oral Bacteria Causes Bad Breath

The full explanation can get quite complex but in simple terms here is how the process works:

• First, the majority of the problem bacteria reside on the back of the tongue, followed by bacteria below the gum line and in the periodontal pockets with lesser sources located in areas such as tooth abscesses, dental appliances (dentures) and sometimes oral lesions.
• These bacteria breakdown proteins into their individual amino acids.
• Then as amino acids break down they release foul gases that are associated with bad breath.
• These gases, often called “Volatile Sulfur Compounds” (VSC), are the cause of over 90% of all cases of chronic bad breath or halitosis. (Tests have indicated that VSC may be more than just foul smelling. VSC creation may in fact contribute to the gum inflammation and damage associated with periodontal disease)

Bad breath bottom line: The number one source of chronic bad breath comes from the bacteria in the mouth.

Mouthwashes, gum and such simply cover-up the odor or temporarily kill off bacteria.

The real solution, for fresher breath and for better health. is to restore a healthy balance of bacteria in you mouth. Oral probiotics, along with routine oral care, rebuild and restore a healthy natural balance of bacteria in your mouth–resulting in naturally fresher breath.

Problems in Treating Bad Breath

Bacteria are quite persistent survivors. They protect themselves by lodging themselves in areas that are protected and tough to access.

• Using antibiotics to kill off all bacteria is not a healthy solution for long-term control of bad breath. This approach kills off the good with the bad–leaving you open to further bacterial overgrowth and can lower immunity.
• The majority of halitosis related bacteria is to be found in the back of the tongue. This is a great area for bacteria to hide out in. One, the tongue's surface is irregular (think lots of little caves and holes) and two, it is dark, moist and protected–making for a super place for bacteria to feed and grow.
• Bacteria also loves to hang out in tough to reach locations such as under the gums, deep in gum pockets or within dental cavities and abscesses. 

And bacteria does not just hang out all alone. They like to group together and form a “biofilm” that is very difficult to dislodge or to penetrate. A “biofilm” is an aggregation of bacteria and microorganism that stick to surfaces such as the teeth, gums or tongue. The “biofilm” is very tough, very durable and very persistent.

The beauty of oral probiotics is that they work within your mouth’s ecology to balance your bacterial population. This is a natural approach that works with nature's proven system.

Oral probiotics actually colonize into the bacterial biofilm and down into these tough to reach places. This means that as they establish into your mouth they actually knock out and replace the very source of chronic bad breath–not just cover it up temporarily.

And so, the oral probiotics enter into and colonize the “biofilm” which now creates a healthier balance and inhibits the growth of the bad bacteria–fresher breath and better health is the result!

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Keep in mind that the effective approach is to inhibit the growth of the bad-odor producing bacteria and not to just cover it up with mouthwashes or breath fresheners.

 

In the majority of cases, for long-term results, it is the reduction and control of bad bacteria in the mouththat delivers not only fresher breath but healthier teeth and gums as well.

Effective bad breath remedies include:

• Gentle and regular scraping of the tongue
• Regular oral care practices such as daily brushing and flossing
• Professional deep cleanings and plaque removal
• The ongoing use of oral probiotics

How Probiotics Work to Control Bad Breath

RULE: The primary source of chronic bad breath is the “Volatile Sulfur Compounds” produced by bacteria and so the effective control of these bacteria is the solution.

Clinical tests support this statement. One such test, using a lozenge containing S. Salivarius K12 (one of our key ingredients) demonstrated that this oral probiotic strain could significantly reduce VSC levels in 85% of the test subjects! 

Several means by which probiotics work to control bad breath:

• One, the probiotics compete with the existing bad bacteria and reduce their presence by “crowding them out”
• Two, the probiotics produce BLIS or “bacteriocin-like-inhibitory-substances” which is a technical way of stating that one probiotic strain (bacteria) can produce a substance that inhibits or kills off other bacteria.
• Three, by working to control gingivitis, gum disease and tooth decay these probiotics reduce the very sources of bacteria-generated odors in the mouth.

Summary–Controlling Bad Breath or Halitosis for Good

The old saying “fighting fire with fire” could not be more appropriate than in the use of oral probiotics to fight bad breath… Oral probiotics attacks the condition at its root source by inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria.

Best yet, the result is not only fresher, cleaner breath but improved oral health across the boards.

Combining the use of Great Oral Health Advanced Probiotics with recommended daily brushing, flossing and even tongue scraping is simple, easy and effective. Give it a try for a few weeks and we are sure that you will join the rest of our happy, satisfied users in experiencing fresher, cleaner breath!