Chinese medicine and bad breath

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine cure Bad breath?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), halitosis is believed to be caused by "heat" in the liver.

The liver is one of the important organs for the immune system, and in TCM, a  "heated" liver is associated with a lowered the immune system and a tendency to bacterial overgrowth. One of these bacterial overgrowths can be in the mouth causing bad breath.

Women who have bad breath problem often experience an increase in bad breath shortly before and during menstruation. This is another indication that the liver plays an important role in halitosis. The liver is the organ that eliminates oestrogens. Shortly before menstruation, oestrogens are at their highest levels in the menstrual cycle. The liver has to work harder to eliminate the extra hormones. As a result, any weakness in the liver would be intensified.

The bitter and sour tastes in the mouth that often accompany halitosis is known to be a sign of imbalance in the liver and stomach in  traditional Chinese medicine.

A mouthwash does not cure bad breath because it only eliminates the bacteria in the mouth temporarily, and the real souce of the problem may be the liver.

Traditional Chinese medicine would look to detoxify and cleanse the liver with herbs or acupuncture.

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