Acupuncture works for the treatment of bad breath, or halitosis as it’s called in the medical community. Although it’s not as common of a condition as something like neck or back pain, there are many people who swear by acupuncture to treat this issue. Halitosis is also a condition that not many people really think about unless they suffer from it or come into contact with someone who has it. This condition is extremely frustrating, difficult to treat with conventional medicine, and worst of all, embarrassing to those who have it.
Studies have shown that as much as 50% of adults have bad breath, and about 60 million people have chronic halitosis in the U.S. However, what many people don’t realize, especially those who don’t have it, halitosis can be caused by both external and internal factors, and doesn’t necessarily mean that the person has oral hygiene problems. Halitosis can affect personal, business, and social relationships, and being that conventional medicine doesn’t help everyone, it may be time to look into Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment.
Understanding Halitosis
Halitosis, more commonly known as bad breath, is a condition that is identified by an off-putting odor coming from the mouth. This is caused by a specific bacterium which causes Sulphur to live in the throat as well as on the surface of the tongue. This bacterium breaks down proteins very quickly, and releases Sulphur compounds from the back of the tongue and throat. The condition can be temporary, as many people have had bad breath at some point in their life whether from lack of oral hygiene or a certain food, but if it persists, it can be indicative of an underlying medical issue. Addressing halitosis requires a deeper exam to determine the root cause of the problem. Conventional medical providers will look at the symptoms first, and although many think it is contagious, it is actually not infectious, but have some key symptoms to make its presence known.
Symptoms of Bad Breath/Halitosis:
- Dry mouth Post nasal drip
- Dry mouth
- Poor oral hygiene
- Bad morning breath
- White coating on the tongue
- Burning tongue
- Constantly clearing the throat
- Metallic, Sour, bitter taste in the mouth
- Thick saliva
There are many causes for halitosis, including some of the symptoms above, but there are some that are more common than others.
Main Causes of Halitosis:
- Dry mouth – this is the perfect environment for bad breath bacteria to manifest and linger. This can happen overnight due to a lack of saliva while sleeping, after long stretches of speaking, drinking alcohol, and snoring.
- Poor dental hygiene – poor oral care causes bacteria to build up, on the gums and teeth, and being that the teeth can’t shed their surface like the skin, those microorganisms can attach to the teeth and remain there for a long time. Additionally, infection around the teeth (periodontitis) and/or bad oral hygiene.
- Post nasal mucus from being sick
- Specific foods – bad breath can be made worse by specific foods like garlic, onions, or cauliflower as they contain sulfur compounds. Other foods that can cause bad breath are dairy, meat, fish, coffee, and juices. Usually, when bad breath is coming from a certain food, the bad breath is most often short-lived.
- Smoking – this causes dry mouth taking oxygen out of the mouth.
- Reflux from the stomach
When it comes to conventional medicine, there is unfortunately no specific treatment that for sure can help all of those suffering from Halitosis. Most often medical providers will advise you to stay hydrated in between brushing and flossing. The other option would be to treat any underlying medical condition that may be causing the bad breath. The problem is that if it does have to do with an underlying condition that you may already be being treated for, medical providers may not be able to help as you may be on a specific necessary medication.
This is where Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture could be helpful in treating the areas that conventional medicine cannot. If you have halitosis, there is no doubt that you have tried everything to keep the bad breath at bay no matter what methods you have tried. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is helpful in healing from the inside out, and could be the missing piece in truly ridding yourself of halitosis.
Acupuncture & Halitosis
Acupuncture may seem like something that would be unrelated to an issue like halitosis, but this is exactly the reason why it is so amazing. It can treat such a wide variety of conditions that it can both work alone or in combination with conventional medicine. Unlike conventional medicine, it is the goal of TCM to correct internal issues rather than broad symptoms, and take into consideration everything about a person including environmental, emotional, and physiological factors for individualized diagnosis and treatment.
In TCM, Halitosis is seen as what is known as “stomach heat” which in western medicine terms can be from poor diet, stress, extended illness, and insufficient rest. It is important to be sure that your bad breath is not coming from lack of oral hygiene. If it isn’t, it could be from stomach bloat, acid reflux or any number of issues that a dentist cannot address. In TCM, smell is an important part plays of eastern medicine diagnosis. There is a great deal of knowledge that can come from any abnormal smells that the you are afflicted with.
Halitosis Potential Causes in TCM:
- Sinuses – sinuses are a normal site for inflammation, and clogged sinuses cause bad breath especially if you have any kind of illness for longer than a week.
- Lungs – seems like a strange place for bad breath to derive from, but it usually arises from illness such as pneumonia, asthma, chronic cough, and congestion.
- Stomach – from digestion problems like h.pylori, ulcers, heartburn, and indigestion. Most often this is where the majority of bad breath comes from besides the mouth.
- Mouth – most common, and comes from gums that are inflamed or tooth decay.
To better understand how TCM will treat halitosis, it is important to understand the viewpoint. In TCM, the mouth is an extension of the digestive system, and so in treating the body on the inside, it will address issues on the outside. While diet choices are often the culprit of bad breath, it is more about the type of food being consumed. Eating too many “hot” foods or drinks (remember, TCM considers halitosis to be a “heat” issue) such as too much coffee, meat, nuts, alcohol, fried foods, and spicy foods can lead to bad breath.
TCM “Cool” foods to help halitosis:
- Bananas
- Lettuce
- Cilantro
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Oranges
- Tofu
- Yogurt
- Pears
- Mint
Along with incorporating cooling foods into your diet, your acupuncturist may also recommend some herbal remedies that will improve your halitosis. They will also, after doing a thorough exam, and asking many detailed questions, will determine the best treatment plan for you, and which acupuncture points to use to get the best results.
Acupuncture Points for Halitosis:
- DU27
- PC8
- LI4
- LI11
- ST6
There are any number of combinations of points that your licensed acupuncturist may use, and just like with other conditions, no two treatment plans will be exactly the same which is how acupuncture and TCM is so effective.
In fact, research from 2018, a study called Whether Chinese Medicine Have Effect on Halitosis, evaluated the efficacy of both Chinese medicine combined with western medicine and Chinese medicine alone as well as western medicine alone for Halitosis. This study concluded that combining western and Chinese medicine was more effective for Halitosis than western medicine alone.
Although it may seem like a small issue to many, those who are afflicted with Halitosis struggle with day to day interactions. Halitosis is difficult to navigate in social situations and is embarrassing putting a damper on many relationships, even professional ones. Whether we like it or not, first impressions matter in business and personally, and if you have taken the proper steps to maintaining oral hygiene and still have a problem, acupuncture may just be your answer to solving your halitosis for good.