"Dragon Mouth" has Americans spending over $1 billion a year on mouthwashes, mints, sprays, drops, gums, and other products that they hope will eliminate their problem. These products are a waste of money and they can actually worsen the odor.
Mouth Wash and Bad Breath
Most commercial mouthwashes contain alcohol, which dries your mouth. The drier your mouth gets the more bacteria grow, since there is no saliva to wash them away. Furthermore, common mouthwashes and mints can place a coating on your tongue. This coating acts to seal the bacteria deeper into the tongue giving them additional protection to live and multiply. Now you finally know why your Scope and Listerine do not work to cure bad breath! Another problem with alcohol containing products is that they dry your teeth and make them sensitive to cold foods, not to mention increasing the risk of cavities. Some clinical studies indicate that these alcoholed products can increase the risk of mouth and throat cancer by up to 60%.
Morning Breath
Almost everyone suffers from morning breath problems. This is very common because your mouth dries while you sleep, especially if you are a mouth-breather. Again, the drier the mouth gets the less saliva available to wash away the bacteria. Some people can temporarily mask their morning odor by brushing, flossing, or drinking water.
Chronic Halitosis - Stubborn
Chronic halitosis, on the other hand, does NOT improve over time and does not go away with even your best efforts of home care. Halitosis is a social problem that affects over 50 million people and it can have devastating effects. People tend to form negative impressions about individuals who have bad breath. One's self esteem can be seriously impaired, while social and business relationships can suffer. We have seen patients who have even considered suicide because of their breath problem.
Normal Halitosis - Causes
Halitosis (Bad Breath), in otherwise healthy individuals, is caused by bacteria that reside mainly on your tongue and between your teeth. The tongue is usually the major storage area for these odor-producing bacteria. The tongue becomes coated with bacteria, which ferment proteins and produce smelly gases (rotten egg odor). Your tongue is like a sponge because it has millions of crevices. It absorbs bacteria and gives them a place to hide. The "odor" of chronic halitosis results when bacteria in the mouth and on the tongue cause formation of sulfur compounds. When you use store bought products you place a coating on your tongue and help the bacteria out by "sealing" them down into the tongue crevices. Regular toothbrushes cannot remove these bacteria.