Saliva/Mouth Problems

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Good Morning!

 

Saliva/Mouth Problems

 

Not enough saliva, causing a dry-mouth condition. Or too much saliva.

 

• Without proper saliva, you cannot absorb your food properly,

for

digestion begins in the mouth. Always chew carbohydrate ( " starchy " )

foods especially well. This includes such things as bread and all

grain products, potatoes, etc.

 

• The chewing gum habit is not good. It overworks your salivary

glands when they should be resting.

 

• If you have a dry mouth, take a little lemon juice or honey

before

the meal to stimulate the flow of saliva. If you are not obtaining

enough vitamin A, your saliva flow may be inadequate.

 

• If you seem to have too much saliva, drink a tea of one of the

following: white oak bark, goldenseal root, or bayberry.

 

 

HALITOSIS (Bad Breath)

 

The breath has an unpleasant odor. Touch the back of your hand with

your tongue, and then smell it. This is a simple test which may tell

you something you need to know.

 

Not caring for your teeth properly, brushing them can be a primary

cause. But tooth decay, indigestion, improper diet, gum disease,

constipation, inadequate digestion of proteins, infection in the nose

or throat, poorly functioning liver, stress, or heavy metal buildup

can also be major problems.

 

• Brush your teeth after each meal. Use dental floss.

 

• Brush the tongue carefully. It often has food particles and

bacteria, and needs cleaning.

 

• Drink more water. Dehydration often causes bad breath,

especially

first thing in the morning. Saliva does not flow during sleep, so no

mouth cleaning occurs at night.

 

• Eat parsley. Other chlorophyll-containing foods are also good

for

your breath.

 

• Take charcoal by mouth. Let them dissolve slowly in the mouth.

 

• Go on a five-day raw food diet, during which 50% of what you

eat is

raw. This will help clean out your system.

 

• Apples, carrots, celery, etc., are excellent for cleaning out

your

mouth at the close of a meal. They remove odor-causing bacteria from

the mouth.

 

• Outdoor exercise will bring more oxygen into the lungs and help

clean out the system, reducing bad breath.

 

• In the lives of many, gum disease is a major cause of bad

breath.

Place goldenseal over the infected gums or mouth sores. Do this for 3

days, to help heal the gums.

 

• Far less likely, mouth breathing may cause bad breath. Yet, for

many, the advantages of mouth breathing (obtaining more oxygen than

otherwise could be done) outweighs the possible disadvantages.

 

• Sinus infection produces a discharge with a bad odor. If you

have

sinus trouble, this may be the cause of your bad breath.

 

• Do not eat spicy foods.

 

• Meat eating can produce bad breath, both because of the

particles

left in the mouth and because of later indigestion.

 

• Cheese and fish both cause bad breath.

 

• Yes, there is garlic, but it is such a powerful germ killer

that

you may need to take it anyway.

 

• Drinking coffee, beer, wine, or whiskey are excellent ways to

have

bad breath. Water is the best liquid for your body.

 

• Use myrrh, rosemary, or peppermint to brush your teeth and

rinse

your mouth.

 

• Avoid foods that get stuck between the teeth too easily.

 

• Avoid foods that are too likely to cause tooth decay, such as

meat,

candies, and sticky sweets.

 

• Instances have been reported of food allergies having caused

bad

breath. Search out the foods you are allergic to, and avoid them.

(See Allergies.)

 

• Avoid constipation.

 

• In cases of bad breath caused by stomach problems, thyme tea

can be

helpful.

 

• Boil your toothbrush each month or buy a new one. Bacteria grow

on

the toothbrush. Rinse it with hydrogen peroxide occasionally during

the month.

 

• Chew fennel or anise seeds after eating an odorous meal.

 

• Do not use commercial mouthwashes. They irritate the mouth more

than they solve any problems. All they have is alcohol, dye, and

flavoring.

 

Bad breath may be a sign of an underlying health problem.

 

 

CHEILOSIS (Angular Stomatitis; Geographic Tongue)

 

Cracks appear in the corners of the mouth and in the (nasolabial)

corners of the nose.

 

On the top and sides of the tongue are irregular, denuded areas that

appear very smooth. Geographic tongue is not painful, and the sense

of taste may, or may not, be affected. This is a nutritional problem.

 

• The cracks are caused by a vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency.

 

• The geographic tongue means you are not absorbing B3, B6, B5,

B12,

folic acid, or zinc properly. The cause is frequently malabsorption

from celiac disease-like changes in the small intestine.

 

• Do a series of pulse tests to determine the foods you may be

allergic to. Avoid those allergens; take supplementary vitamins and

minerals, especially B2; the entire B complex; and zinc. Also take

betaine HCL before each meal.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk L.Ac. MSTOM

Peacefulmind.com

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