Quotes:
"Why do many Americans produce two immaculate, shining rows of teeth separated by an organ [the tongue] covered with millions of microorganisms, emitting a strong malodor?"
(Gordon Christensen, D.D.S., Ph.D)

The Cause of Bad Breath:
The most important cause of bad breath (Halitosis) is the accumulation of food debris, dead cells, fungi and post-nasal drip on the rear of the tongue. The breakdown of proteins by bacteria that live on the rear of the tongue create compounds such as VCS's (volatile sulfurous compounds) which are the source of most bad breath problems. The second most important cause is decaying bacteria that live between the teeth.

The Problem with other Solutions for Bad Breath:
If you use one of the following methods for maintaining fresh breath as part of your daily dental hygiene, you are about to see a revolutionary improvement in the way that you treat your bad breath problem:

• Mouthwashes
  Although they have an alcohol component they cannot eliminate the bacteria that cause chronic bad breath. Experts say that in order to kill oral bacteria, they must be immersed in pure alcohol for much longer than it takes to rinse your mouth or gargle. Also, alcohol may, in fact, worsen the condition since it dries out the tongue and creates a more conducive environment for microorganisms to thrive. This last condition is called Xerostomia (Xerostomia is the medical term for a dry mouth due to a lack of saliva) and is usually an additional cause for bad breath.
• Breath mints, breath strips or mouth sprays
  These impart a temporary fresh sensation in the mouth, but are even more fleeting in their actual affect upon the cause of bad breath in the oral cavity. They are only a short-lived cover-up of bad breath. A good analogy is if you try to solve a body odor problem by adding more deodorant instead of taking a shower.
• Brushing the tongue
  Tongue brushing is recommended by some dental professionals as a solution for bad breath. This is an acknowledgment of the fact that the bacteria thriving on the tongue are the root of the bad breath problem. However, toothbrushes were not designed for cleaning the tongue. Brushing the tongue using a toothbrush, as a bad breath cure, merely spreads microorganisms around the tongue, some of which are swallowed, instead of actually removing them. In addition, using a toothbrush to clean the tongue generates the so-called gag reflex, because of its thick design. The bristles of a toothbrush are about four times taller than the height of our ergonomic tongue cleaner, and therefore make it impossible to clean the rear area of the tongue.

Statistics: "Over 75 million Americans alone suffer from bad breath or halitosis."

Never before have there been better halitosis treatments than now. The market is saturated with many instant short-lived solutions for fresh breath and many people are aware of at least a few of these bad breath remedies. Among the most popular bad breath cures are mouthwashes, mouth sprays, breath mints, and fresh breath strips. Yet, these instant solutions that people would choose in order to get rid of bad breath are only temporary cover-ups for the real cause of halitosis, since their strong flavors are for a moment more dominant over the mouth odors. Professionals in the oral care market claim that alcohol-based mouthwashes (the most popular brands include alcohol) can actually exacerbate the condition of bad breath.

Experts in the dental field have shown that the overwhelming majority of bad breath conditions come from sources in the mouth.

Recent research has confirmed that the vast majority of bad breath cases originate from accumulated decaying bacterial plaque and food coating the back of the tongue. For many patients, gum disease contributes to halitosis, and it is therefore important that a dentist assess the precise cause. Using the VeriFresh fresh breath diagnostic kit, can give a good indication of the likelihood of bad breath.

VSC's, the most prevalent bad breath smell, contain sulfur, hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, the two most plentiful bad breath gases in human exhaled air. Hydrogen sulfide is the "rotten egg" smell.

Halitosis is usually treated through the use of compounds containing some kind of chlorine dioxide, zinc or combination of chlorine dioxide and chemically altered forms of oxychlorine. These molecules then changes the VSCs chemically into harmless compounds.

Cleaning the tongue surface with a specially designed ergonomic tongue cleaner that removes the plaque coating is the real cure for halitosis. This not only removes the odor causing agents but lowers the overall bacteria count in the mouth which can have positive effects on the health of the gum tissue as well.

As a solution for bad breath, using an effective tongue scraper works best because it actually eliminates the source of the bad breath problem. It is the real natural cure for halitosis, making for much more effective and long-lasting fresh breath, as well as promoting maximal oral care.