Good Products for Bad Breath

Today, good products for bad breath (halitosis) are easier to find than they were even a few years ago. The range of available over-the-counter treatments and natural remedies is broad, however, and it’s helpful to know a little bit about them to narrow the choices. Depending on the severity of the problem, the right product could be anything from a simple breath mint to a specialized treatment.

The most familiar treatment for halitosis is the breath mint, available as gum, lozenges, breath strips, and even sprays. Some contain the plant pigment chlorophyll, widely believed to eliminate various unpleasant odors. While immediately effective, these are not good products for bad breath that is severe and persistent. Purchase them for breath odors caused by smoking, alcohol, garlic and other spicy foods, and for those times when you need confidence in your breath.

Many people seeking a natural treatment for halitosis turn to various herbs and spices, often those with aromatic properties such as mint, dill, cloves, anise, and others. While some of these plants do contain natural antibacterial substances that may help control unwelcome bacteria in the mouth, it’s doubtful that the chronic sufferer will find them good products for bad breath as it would be difficult to use enough of them to make a long term difference. Use them like breath mints.

Mouthwash is a popular treatment for bad breath and there are many varieties available over-the-counter. These liquids often contain antibacterial substances including natural plant extracts, chemicals, and alcohol. Additives can be problematic: plant extracts probably aren’t good products for bad breath over the long term, as discussed above; antibacterial chemicals kill beneficial bacteria as well as the ones that cause odor and thus do not contribute to a healthy balance in the mouth; and alcohol actually dries out oral tissues and may actually contribute to halitosis. Mouthwashes are probably most useful for treating morning breath, which is generally transient anyway.

More recent approaches to good products for bad breath have used a common sense approach and targeted the anaerobic bacteria that actually cause the odor in the majority of cases. First, a complete medical and dental checkup is recommended, to identify underlying problems. Following this, treatment for halitosis uses products that deliver oxygen to the airless spaces in the oral cavity, killing anaerobes that can’t tolerate oxygen; or liquids that actually pick up excess oral bacteria and physically sweep them away. While these products may be a little harder to find than the more familiar ones, they hold considerable promise as good products for bad breath.

Tea for Bad Breath

Drink tea for bad breath? For years, it’s been standard wisdom that tea is a cause of bad breath (halitosis) and should be avoided, but recent scientific studies suggest otherwise. In fact, research has shown that compounds known as polyphenols, which are found in both green and black tea can fight halitosis in several ways. (See “Tea as a Functional Food for Oral Health,” by Christine Wu and Min Zhu, published in the journal Nutrition: Vol 18, N0 5, May 2002, Pg 443-444.)

The effect is strongest with black tea and halitosis, apparently because polyphenols known as theaflavins are present in higher concentrations in black tea compared to green tea: to produce black tea, tea leaves are oxidized (often called fermentation), converting the polyphenols known as catechins to theaflavins. Thus, while green tea has been shown to have many health benefits, the best tea for bad breath is black tea (“Black tea” in this context refers to tea made from black tea leaves. The literature does not address the effect that adding milk or cream to tea might have.)

The research suggests two connections between black tea and halitosis: polyphenols in low concentrations inhibit the ability of anaerobic oral bacteria to produce the foul smelling hydrogen sulfide associated with bad breath, and at high concentrations, the compounds actually inhibit the growth of these bacteria. Though the concentrations needed to inhibit bacterial growth may not be achievable by simply drinking ordinary black tea for bad breath, rinsing for thirty seconds with strong black tea would likely be beneficial.

Interestingly, drinking tea for bad breath may have other benefits for oral health. It seems that tea also fights cavities and reduces oral plaque. It’s long been known that tea contains significant amounts of fluoride, a compound known to strengthen dental enamel when applied topically, however the same researchers who linked black tea and halitosis found that rinsing with black tea inhibited the growth of cavity causing bacteria, inhibited the production of acid by these bacteria, and slowed the accumulation of dental plaque. (See “Tea Fights Cavities, Reduces Plaque,” by Christine Wu et al, published in Health and Medicine Week, June 11, 2001.)