Post
Nasal Drip and Nasal Sinus Congestion Will Transform
a Case of 'Normal' Breath Into Bad Breath and 'Bad'
Breath into Horrible Breath!
Dr.
Harold Katz, founder of the California Breath Clinics, is a
worldwide expert on the topics of bad breath.. To receive your
FREE copy of his easy-to-read "Bad Breath Bible" visit:
www.therabreath.com/web/art/pnd.asp.
Bad
breath is very closely related to post nasal drip, excess
mucus, sinus problems, your tonsils, and tonsiloliths.
In
my book "The Bad Breath Bible" I discuss how
the bacteria which causes bad breath and sour/bitter/metallic
tastes are anaerobic, meaning they live without oxygen.
The bacteria's goal in life is to break down the proteins
in foods that we eat. However, under certain conditions,
they will also start to break down the proteins found
in post nasal drip.
Therefore,
those people who suffer from post nasal drip, sinus problems,
and other such ailments are more prone to bad breath
and lousy tastes in their mouth. The anaerobic bacteria
uses the post nasal drip mucus as a food source and starts
to extract sulfur compounds from the amino acids that
make up the proteins found in all this excess mucus.
Scientifically,
the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath "love" the
amino acids Cysteine and Methionine. These amino acids
are the building blocks of the proteins that are found
in post nasal drip, and can even be found in dairy foods.
In fact, most people notice that when they drink too
much milk or eat too much cheese, they end up with more
mucous or phlegm in their throat. This is a natural reaction
for many people and unfortunately, ends up causing more
bad breath and a lousy taste in your mouth.
If
you still have your tonsils, you may be harboring a higher
number of the bacteria which can lead to an "interesting" and
very often misunderstood phenomenon, called TONSILOLITHS.
Literally translated, they are "tonsil stones" produced
by the conglomeration of post nasal drip mucus draining
down the back of the throat, and the volatile sulfur
compounds created by the bacteria. These bacteria easily
end up in the "nooks and crannies" of the tonsils
every time one swallows. I can't tell you how many stories
I've heard from my patients who asked their dentist what
these objects were, and more often than not the answer
was 'food particles'. This couldn't be further from the
truth!
What
can you do if you suffer from post nasal drip, excess
mucus, and sinus congestion? There are essentially only
a few different routes that you can take:
1.
Use medication and or drugs to dry up the sinuses and
prevent post nasal drip mucus buildup - all the while
being careful to avoid a dry mouth, a likely side-effect
of virtually all antihistamines. Dry mouth is the most
common initiator of bad breath because it mimics an anaerobic
environment, perfect for the "bugs" to pump
out volatile sulfur compounds. You should be careful
about using any antihistamine too frequently - many are
habit forming!
2.
Use TheraBreath Nasal Sinus Formula. I recommend squeezing
3-4 drops into each nostril and then lightly inhaling
to move the potent formula through the sinuses twice
daily. Most people can finally experience that fresh
breath and taste feeling after the formula effectively
eliminates the production of sulfur compounds created
by the reaction of post nasal drip and the anaerobic
sulfur producing bacteria.
3.
For chronic post nasal drip and sinus problems, many
patients will find relief by using the HydroPulse®.
This is an amazingly effective nasal-sinus irrigator,
designed by an Ear Nose & Throat specialist to flush
the sinuses. It works even better when you add just 2-3
drops of AktivOxigen serum into the trough before each
use.
4.
Minimize the amount of post nasal drip in your throat
and sinuses, and eliminate the #1 side effect of excess
mucus (bad breath!) by using oxygenating oral care products,
such as TheraBreath, TheraBreath PLUS, AktivOxigen, PerioTherapy,
and TheraBrite.
Medication
and drugs MAY help prevent post nasal drip, but at what
cost?
There
are dozens of different over-the counter nasal decongestants
and antihistamines you can use to help relieve congestion
and dry up post nasal drip symptoms. Some of them are
very good at what they claim… but mostly they
are TOO GOOD! They create an extremely dry mouth, which
exacerbates bad breath. Even in cases where the dry mouth
side effect is minimal, when you stop taking that medication
the problem comes back, and almost always with a vengeance!
This is because in some cases, your body will actually
develop a resistance to any antihistamines or nasal decongestants,
especially nasal sprays. You must be careful, because
many sprays are habit forming - but NOT TheraBreath formulas!
Suffice
it to say, using over-the-counter nasal decongestants
and antihistamines should NOT be an option that you pursue.
Instead, I suggest using a nasal-irrigator such as the
HydroPulse® to flush your sinuses free from post
nasal drip mucus.
Nasal
irrigation is probably the most effective method of eliminating
post nasal drip and helping to control sinus infections.
The HydroPulse Sinus Irrigator is an FDA registered device
supported by over 37 published medical reports. The unique
pulsatile irrigation of the HydroPulse helps to restore
ciliary function and relieve post nasal drip. A short
period of regular use can stimulate the cilia, which
are the tiny hair-like fibers in the nasal sinus passages,
to restore their natural protective "sweeping & cleansing" action.
When you feel a sinus condition come on, or feel that
you have persistent post nasal drip and excess mucus,
consistent daily use for 10 days should result in a clearing
of the condition. For best results, I recommend a combination
of this easy-to-use home instrument with an oxygenating
solution such as AktivOxigen serum.
Tips
on how to stop bad breath associated with post nasal
drip:
For
people who don't really have sinus problems, just "off
and on" or seasonal post nasal drip, then an alternative
(and better) solution might be to minimize the amount
of excess mucus in the back of the throat and more importantly
to make sure you neutralize the odor caused by this excess
mucus.
There
are three key formulas that most of my patients find
extremely effective at neutralizing the odor caused by
post nasal drip:
1.
Nasal Sinus Drops - which are highly effective at cleaning
the sinuses (a very hard to reach area) of the volatile
sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.
2.
AktivOxigen Tablets - which can be added to an unflavored
oral rinse that you can actually swallow. The solution
gets deeper down in the throat than just regular rinsing,
and will actually help break down post nasal drip congestion
and excess mucus in the throat.
3.
Extinguisher Spray - an extremely popular nozzle applicator
spray that is very efficient in reaching the back of
the throat and tonsils. These are common problem areas
for people who suffer from post nasal drip and excess
mucus in the throat.
I've
been here for the last 10 years to help patients prevent
bad breath, sinus congestion, and lousy tastes, and I'll
be here for many more years to come.
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