Lake Orion Family Dentistry Blog

A New Way to Zap Bad Breath

There's an odd side effect to dental bleaching: One of the chemicals used to make your teeth white also zaps bad breath.

While over-the-counter bleaching products for teeth are relatively new, dentists have been bleaching their patients' teeth for years. And they noticed something strange. For those patients who also suffer from chronic bad breath, the tooth bleaching process not only whitened their teeth, but also made their halitosis disappear.



It turns out the magic ingredient is carbamide peroxide, an odorless chemical used to bleach and disinfect teeth. After 10 years and 40,000 patients, Cleveland dentist Louis J. Malcmacher has now figured out the perfect dose of carbamide peroxide to destroy the sulfur compounds and Gram-negative bacteria that cause bad breath. The procedure works like tooth whitening using a customized mouth tray or mouth guard that fits snugly around the patient's teeth. Instead of the 10 percent solution of carbamide peroxide used for whitening, a 3 percent solution is used. The trays stay in the patient's mouth for an hour; the process is repeated two more times before a patient typically notices a difference in his or her breath, according to Malcmacher.

How much does it cost? More than 25 percent of the U.S. population has chronic halitosis--breath that is so sour that tooth-brushing and mouthwash only mask the problem. It can also be an indication of more serious health concerns. This new treatment, which goes to the heart of the problem, costs about $500 for one in-office treatment and a four to six-week supply for home use. Malcmacher says there are no side effects.

How long do you have to keep using it? That depends on the severity of the halitosis. Patients with the most acute problem must use it daily for a while and then eventually move to once every few months. Others just have to use it for the initial three-step treatment for long-term (but not indefinite) results.

Bad breath primarily originates from the gums and tongue. However, odor coming from the back of the tongue may indicate post-nasal drip. Bad breath also may occur in people who have an infection, gum disease, diabetes, kidney failure or a liver malfunction. Xerostomia (dry mouth) and tobacco also contribute to this problem. Cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy may experience dry mouth. Even stress, dieting, snoring, aging and hormonal changes can have an effect on breath.

As of right now, this new cure for bad breath has not been widely marketed and there is no patent on the procedure. The study findings were presented to a meeting of the Academy of General Dentistry in Washington, D.C.


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