Truth About Bad Breath and What the Symptoms Meanby
Dr. Harold Katz
Founder of The
California Breath Clinics
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
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 "bad guys"
- 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, not by antibiotics, and not by 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 VSC and by converting the VSC 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 my TheraBreath
formulas. Take a look at a small fraction of testimonial
letters to see What Doesn't Work!
Speaking about bacteria, there is one other fact that you must understand
about these bacteria. They are classified as "Anaerobic" - which literally
means "Without Oxygen". They thrive in an environment where Oxygen
is NOT present. That is why they DO NOT LIVE ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR
TONGUE! They live in between the papillae (fibers) that make up your
These sulfur compounds are actually by-products of anaerobic bacteria (Fusobacterium
and Actinomyces, among others). Everyone needs these bacteria, because they assist
the digestion process. But, unfortunately, for some, as yet undetermined reason
these particular bacteria are found in higher numbers in those anguished by Bad
Breath. (Various theories attribute this to hormonal changes, a history of medications,
usually antibiotics or sulfa drugs-which create an imbalance of oral bacteria,
or even Genetics-these disorders appear to run in some families.) We do know however,
that it seems to be evenly split between men and women.
here to get a free copy
of Dr. Katz's $19.95 book The
Bad Breath Bible so you can overcome the bad breath
and halitosis that's keeping you and those around you miserable.
under which the problem becomes worse:
some cases of dry mouth are naturally occurring, most cases are caused by one
of these factors; prescription medications (usually prescribed for high blood
pressure or depression) antihistamines, adult beverages, and mouthwashes with
alcohol in them.
your mouth is dryer, you have less Saliva. Saliva naturally contains Oxygen, which
keeps your mouth healthy and fresh. These bacteria are anaerobic, which simply
means that they will thrive and make more sulfur in the presence of little or
no oxygen. Thus if you have less Saliva, you have less oxygen, thereby creating
an anaerobic environment, perfect for the bacteria to produce more of these odorous
and sour/bitter compounds. For people with Dry Mouth, we have products on my website
that can help greatly.
We know that proteins contain amino acids, which in turn contain sulfur compounds
(see text above). When a person has a post nasal drip, mucus drains and coats
the back of the tongue and throat, exactly where bacteria live (see diagram above).
Since mucus is made up of interlinked strands of protein, the bacteria have a
field day, breaking down these proteins into odorous and sour tasting sulfur type
compounds. Strong Antihistamines don't help, because the drying effect of the
antihistamines also creates a problem. The only method of ending the odor and
taste are to use Oxyd-VIII based oral products. Many of my patients with post
nasal drip have claimed great success with use of our Nasal-Sinus Drops available
on my website.
What About The Sinuses?
After personally treating nearly 9,000 people worldwide, I have yet to see a patient
get rid of his bad breath following sinus surgery. First of all, these anaerobic
bacteria cannot live in the sinuses. When someone has a sinus infection, one of
the common symptoms are intense sinus headaches, caused by the pressure from the
infection in the sinus. If you don't have these powerful headaches, you probably
don't have a sinus problem. The fact is that once someone has an elevated amount
of these anaerobic bacteria, they will create the problem from any protein source,
including mucous, phlegm, etc, which drain down the back of your throat into the
area where these bacteria live.
High Protein Foods
These bacteria love those proteins, and certain foods are packed with them:
Milk and Cheese and most other dairy products. (The fat content does not
matter.) If you are lactose intolerant, do not eat or drink these products! Since
your system cannot digest them properly, they are available to the bacteria for
an extended period of time. A recent research article from the Los Angeles Times
(November 1996) on lactose intolerance showed that nearly 67% of all Americans
can be classified as "Lactose Intolerant". This is due to the fact that in a diverse
population such as we have here, there is a predilection for Asians, Hispanics,
and African-Americans to be lactose intolerant.
Fish are high in proteins.
As many people eat a high fish diet, logically they make the problem worse.
Coffee with caffeine (and even without) contains high levels of acids which
cause the bacteria to reproduce more rapidly and create a bitter taste for many
people. (Virtually any acidic type of food will do this.)
was one of the problems that my patients used to have. After starting my treatment,
they have been able to go back to coffee drinking (in moderation of course) without
any bitter tastes afterward.
is the active ingredient in TheraBreath products. It prevents the anaerobic bacteria
from creating the odorous sulfide and Mercaptan compounds by "adding oxygen" to
the environment. The end result is the formation of a "Sulfate", which has no
odor or taste. Most of my patients start out with a Start Kit from my website
and work their way up from there if necessary.
here to get a free copy of Dr.
Katz's $19.95 book The Bad Breath Bible
so you can overcome the bad breath and halitosis that's
keeping you and those around you miserable.
Throughout this website, statements are made pertaining to the properties
and/or functions of food and/or nutritional products. These statements
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and
these materials and products are not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure or prevent any disease.