Acupuncture for the treatment of halitosis, bad breath, is not a common condition many patients would think to treat with TCM. This condition is not something that many people think about often unless they are afflicted with it, but it is frustrating, embarrassing, and difficult to treat. Some research has shown that up to 50% of adults have bad breath, and almost 60 million people will have chronic halitosis in the United States. The thing that many people don’t realize is that bad breath can be caused by both internal and external factors, and may not only be due to oral hygiene problems.
Halitosis Fundamentals
Halitosis, better known as bad breath, is due to a specific bacterium that produces Sulphur living in the throat and on the surface of the tongue. This bacterium breaks down proteins at a rapid rate, and release Sulphur compounds from the back of the throat and tongue. Contrary to popular belief, Halitosis is not infectious but do come with its own set of symptoms and common causes.
Halitosis Symptoms:
- Dry mouth
- Post nasal drip
- Bad morning breath
- Burning tongue
- Build up on the teeth
- A constant need to clear the throat
- White coating on the tongue
- Thick saliva
- Sour, bitter, metallic taste constantly
Causes of Halitosis:
- Dry mouth – this can be due to stress, a medical condition, medications, and alcohol.
- Dental health – infection around the teeth (periodontitis) and/or bad oral hygiene.
- Smoking – this takes oxygen out of the mouth causing bad breath.
- Specific foods – garlic, onions, or cauliflower. Usually the bad breath that come from these are short-lived.
- Post nasal mucus from being sick
- Reflux from the stomach
- A small percentage come from other issues such as metabolic dysfunctions, kidney failure, multiple types of cancer, and biochemical disorders.
In western medicine, there is no one specific treatment for Halitosis. In general, any treatment will depend on the cause so treatment can range from advising to stay hydrated to improving oral hygiene with brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. Additionally, tongue brushing or scraping may also be necessary. The other treatment would be for an existing health condition which may get rid of the bad breath. Eastern medicine treatment could fill in the cracks where western medicine cannot reach. People that are afflicted with Halitosis have more than likely tried a multitude of remedies, and Chinese medicine could be the missing factor.
Acupuncture for Halitosis
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Halitosis is seen as usually a diagnosis combination of heat and stagnation. Odor plays an important role in eastern medicine diagnosis, and even though this sounds unpleasant, there is a large amount of information that can come from any out of the ordinary smells that the patient has. Bad breath in the world of TCM is usually coming from the sinuses, the mouth, the stomach, or the lungs.
Halitosis TCM Origins:
- Coming from the sinuses – in general, the sinuses are a common site for inflammation and congestion. Blocked sinuses cause bad breath especially if the patient has had any kind of sinus congestion for more than a week as the sinuses are most likely inflamed.
- Coming from the mouth – this can come from inflamed gums or tooth decay can be the cause of this. In TCM, the mouth is considered an extension of the digestive system so coming from the mouth can go hand in hand with the stomach.
- Coming from the stomach – this can be from digestion issues such as heartburn, indigestion, h. pylori, and ulcers all of which can cause bad breath. In general, this is where bad breath tends to derive beside the mouth. This includes the stomach as in the organ as well as the meridian, the diagnosis being excess heat fire.
- Coming from the lungs – this can also come from sickness like chronic cough, pneumonia, asthma, and congestion can set off heat and stagnation.
It is believed in TCM that stomach fire is to be blamed for the problem of bad breath. Dietary choices are 9 times out of 10 the cause of stomach fire. This is caused by consuming too many “hot” foods such as too much alcohol, coffee, fried foods, nuts, meat, and spicy foods as well as smoking cigarettes can lead to the stomach fire pattern. Stomach fire leads to rebellious Qi as a toxic gas which travels up to the mouth causing bad breath. Acupuncture treatment and TCM can relieve heat and decrease the odor produced by a dysfunction in the digestive system.
“Cool” foods to balance out the stomach fire:
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Bananas
- Cucumber
- Cilantro
- Yogurt
- Pears
- Mint
- Tofu
- Oranges
Along with balancing out diet, it is important to advise patients who suffer from Halitosis to be sure to remove distractions during meal time, and go for a walk after eating to support the digestive system and improve Qi circulation in the body.
TCM Patterns that cause bad breath, and Herbal formulas:
- Large Intestine Dryness – presents with fine pulse type, and with symptoms such as dry mouth, dry throat, and dry stools.
- Zeng Ye Tang – this formula is commonly recommended for this pattern of disharmony because its main action is to nourish yin and essence and moisten dryness. Comprised of 3 herbs: Ningpo Figwort Roots (Xuan Shen), Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang), and Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong).
- Zeng Ye Tang – this formula is commonly recommended for this pattern of disharmony because its main action is to nourish yin and essence and moisten dryness. Comprised of 3 herbs: Ningpo Figwort Roots (Xuan Shen), Unprepared Rehmannia (Di Huang), and Dwarf Lilyturf Roots (Mai Dong).
- Stomach Heat/Fire – presents with rapid, slippery, or full pulse type with a yellow tongue coating and red center. Much like Large Intestine Dryness, other symptoms can be dry mouth and dry stools, but also irritability.
- Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang – this formula is recommended for this pattern of disharmony as its main function is to purge heat accumulation and its action is removing heat and dryness in the lower burner. Comprised of 3 herbs: Rhubarb (Da Huang), Mirabilites (Mang Xiao), and Liquorice (Gan Cao).
More Herbal Formulas for Bad Breath:
- Bao He Wan – can improve symptom management for indigestion, acid reflux, and bloating all of which can cause bad breath.
- Niu Huang Jie Du Pian – removes toxins from the body.
Acupuncture Points for Halitosis:
- PC8
- LI4
- LI11
- ST6
- ST44
- UB21
- ST36
- PC6
- ST45
- ST34
- ST43
All acupuncture points are used to reduce stomach fire, and to cool and drain heat from the stomach.
A study from 2018, Whether Chinese Medicine Have Effect on Halitosis, evaluated the efficacy of Chinese medicine alone, Chinese medicine combined with western medicine, and western medicine alone on Halitosis. It was found that a combination of both Chinese and western medicine was most effective on Halitosis, but further study is needed. Halitosis can be embarrassing and difficult to work around in social situations, being something that is important for patients to rectify should they be afflicted with it. Acupuncture and TCM treatment along with western medicine remedies can help in the treatment of Halitosis.