r/badbreath

So someone threw a bottle of water at my door. It was so weird and random. At first I thought maybe it's a prankster kid messing around but it literally was early in the morning, sweltering hot and not a soul outside. I looked out the window a few seconds after I heard it because I wasn't expecting guests, I thought it was a knock at first. I don't have any issues with anyone, no crazy exes or none of that so it was completely random but yet felt so targeted because none of my other neighbors had busted bottles of water on their porch.. keep in mind a few months ago I had a situation where someone randomly put a toothbrush on my porch.. I pray to God it was just a child being mischievous with this water bottle situation because if not, this is a huge problem!!

*FAQS*

This is an update on the oral microbiome transplant at University of Washington in Seattle.

Please see my previous post for context and details about the trial here, as I won’t be answering questions about that - https://www.reddit.com/r/badbreath/s/cQ5nQHs1V8

1. I visited recently and took part in the trial. As I could not find a suitable donor, the scientists found one for me.

2. I mentioned that others want to take part but don’t have donors, and the scientists have said they can see if the dental students at the university could become donors.

3. They also published an article about it recently, if you want to take part you can contact them using the details in the article. *for some reason the link was removed so I’ll paste it again in the comments

*MY RESULTS*

For context, I have room filling (nasal & oral bb) and have had this for over 10 years. I have had various surgeries and tried all the different probiotics and mouthwashes etc. The only things that have been successful for me were metronidazole, but the bb returned after finishing the course, and the sodium hypochlorite rinse which gives me up to 8 hours bb free as long as I don’t eat.

I travelled to Seattle from the UK, the transplant took a few hours. I used my sodium hypochlorite rinse several hours before, to nuke my existing bacteria, and thoroughly neutralised this with water for hours before the transplant to ensure it did not kill the new bacteria - they performed a full dental cleaning, including cleaning of all soft tissue (& back of tongue) with glycine powder to dislodge any biofilm. Then I rinsed and gargled with the donor solution and they syringed (blunt needle) some into the gaps between my teeth.

The transplant initially completely removed my bb. I was able to get a 10 hour flight with no issues, despite eating and not brushing my teeth. I was totally bb free for 3 days post transplant, something which has NEVER happened before.

Unfortunately, the bb gradually started to return after day 4 - I guess my own bacteria managed to take over again. This was really devastating and destabilising for me, as I believed I had been “cured”. However, I still think this is a breakthrough as it shows that the transplant works and for some people it could be permanent.

*OTHER’S RESULTS*
A few others have also participated, and did not report an improvement. However; they did not use the rinse I used and the team also did not observe any bb from any of them when they visited so their level of odour is unclear.

I would only recommend trying this if you have exhausted all other options - dental, ent, gastro, antibiotics, surgery etc.

Its my birthday weekend. And boy , is it challenging to enjoy yourself with bad breath. So I asked my sister if I had bad breath and says no. But everytime I speak someone , their rubbing their nose. Maybe not rubbing their nose the whole time, but at the first interaction.

This guy tried inviting me to his yacht party . I’m pretty sure he changed his mind after rubbing his nose. Being attractive with bad breath is crazy. 🥴

I’ve had chronic bad breath for years and am desperate for a solution. Every treatment says to use strong antibacterial mouthwashes to kill everything, then take oral probiotics to replace them with "good" bacteria.

Here is my confusion: From what I understand, oral probiotics don’t actually permanently colonize or change the oral microbiome the way live bacteria from fermented foods do.

If a harsh mouthwash wipes out our mouth's natural defenses, and the probiotics don't stick around, aren't we just creating a vicious cycle where the fastest-growing "bad" bacteria take over again?

Questions for the community:

• There are many pieces of advice in the bad breath subreddit to use baking soda plus castile soap together to clean the tongue and mouth. If all bacteria gets killed by doing this, long term how do we bring back the good bacteria?

• Fermented Food Dilemma: We know overnight fermented foods help the gut, but pass through the mouth too fast. Is there a way to actually use fermented foods to benefit the mouth?

• Has anyone successfully fixed their oral microbiome and chronic bad breath without using harsh antibacterial rinses?

• What actually works? What are the best, scientifically backed ways to encourage beneficial, live bacteria to thrive in the oral cavity long-term?

I'd love to hear your experiences or any research you've found!

Im (24M) I changed my diet and everything changed I dont know what happened in my body but the thing I’ve noticed is that:

- No bad Breath in the morning or through the day.
- i was having tint tonsil stones, now it is zero.

What I did basically is I started to change my food and taking care of vitamins and minerals.

At first I started to take Vitamin D3 and K2 and this worked like magic in 2 weeks to remove the tonsil stones forever.

Then I have read about Dr Ray Peat and his Diet so I started to avoid some food and consume other, What my major food for my day is milk, just milk, sometimes raw if it is available, if not then pasteurised, and I drink orange juice, eating fruits, cocacola (original not zero), carrots, liver, meat, rice, potatoes, etc…

And I started to walk daily 8k-20k steps for fun not for workout, zero stress lifestyle.

And consuming other supplements through the days, such as LTheanine, B complex, E, Q10, k2, D3, etc…

—•

The main thing that Ive noticed is that the more I was good hydrated that day, the zero breath smell I have, and guess what? Water doesnt hydrate you, I use to drink 2-4 Liters daily, but it was just coming out not staying in my body. So then Ive noticed that the more milk I drink the more I feel hydrated and Im talking here by consuming 2-3 Liters day with minimum 800mL morning consumption (Skimm/low fat milk feels more hydrating).

Edit: I use chlorohexidine0.2% mouthwash with the instructions written and hydrogen peroxide3% with the instructions also, but I dont think they did something since Im using them for protection from cavity.

Hi,

Like most of you here, I also have bad breath, and I have no clear idea what is the cause, this thread isn't about finding a cure (I honestly started to give up most hope).

My question is in regards to the depression and suffering caused by this problem. I'm a (very) single guy and I don't even dare inviting a women to a date, as I know that eventually she'll notice this. One can mask the symptoms so much, to say so. I'd have problems with depression and self esteem even without this problem, but this one is a crucial maintaining factor for them, as I can't get out of this loneliness loop I'm stuck in for many, many years.

For those that did talk with their therapist about this, did it help? Or for those that aren't going to therapy, would you tell them if you'd have the chance? Do you see sense in this?

It's a heavy burden to not have anyone to talk to about this problem (I surely don't, and I imagine for the huge majority it's a tabu subject), and my therapist suggested I should talk with her about it (she knows I have this very big "health problem" that makes it impossible to find a partner, but I didn't tell her what exactly). No, she didn't insist or something like this, she respects my boundaries every time.

But at the same time I would feel incredibly ashamed and I would regret it afterwards I believe... It's really not something you can simply confess to someone, the shame of it is huge. And it's not like anything would change, the problem would still be there...

I'm also looking for antidepressants that can work for me for a long time (as I said, my depression isn't only due to bad breath), haven't found one yet, but at the same time with this huge maintaining factor of depression I'm not even sure I can find something to actually help.

Anyways, let me know what you think, thanks for reading.

I have bb since childhood. Have NO idea what could be the cause but it seem to me that it's worse than few years ago.

I am pretty sure it's not tonsils, my tongue smells awful, my tonsils not. When i take tonsil stones out, in 1-2 days there are here again. So what's causing it?

My saliva is sticky and strechy.

Tongue is definitely not pink. It's not white, but neither pink.

When I get hungry, it gets really really bad. Especially in the morning.

When I brush my teeth, you can't smell it for about 20 minutes and it's here again.

I rubbed my finger on my left tonsil and sniffed it and it stank but my right tonsil didn’t so I thought I had tonsil stones in my left tonsil so I pressed it but no stone came out so why does my left tonsil stinks

I finally found that the main cause of my bad breath is tongue bacteria.

Most of the bad smell comes from the back of my tongue. My teeth are clean, my tonsils don't seem to smell, but the back of my tongue is where the odor is strongest.

I've noticed that after eating sugary foods, meat, or milk, the bad breath becomes worse after some time. It doesn't happen immediately, which makes me think the bacteria on my tongue are breaking down the food and producing the smell.

I also found that chlorhexidine significantly reduces my bad breath while I'm using it. However, after I stop using it, the bad breath gradually comes back. That makes me think the odor-producing bacteria are returning.

Now I'm wondering if the real long-term solution is changing the oral microbiome instead of only killing bacteria temporarily.

Has anyone here had success with oral probiotics (especially Streptococcus salivarius K12 or M18) for tongue-related bad breath? Did they reduce the smell, and if so, how long did the improvement last?

I'd also like to know if anyone has found a way to permanently reduce the odor-producing bacteria on the back of the tongue.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences.

For the next two weeks I will be trying a complete sulfur free or low sulfur diet regimen . And If I notice any difference I will post my results and complete diet here! I’ll be honest I’m very hopeful this will work ! Wish me luck and do not lose hope! We will not be defeated !

I honestly don’t know if my breath smells bad or not. I think it does but I’m not sure. Because when I lick my arm and let it dry and smell it, I can smell something not good but it’s not awful.
I brush my teeth regularly, I use tongue scraper, and I floss sometimes (not very regularly though). When I floss I also smell something bad.
I often have the feelings on plague on my teeth and especially my tongue is white no matter how bad I scrape.
How do I know for sure if my breath smells bad without having to ask someone?
Can it be the irregular flossing?

I loved how red my tongue was, but it seems my happiness was short-lived.

Does anyone know what I should do now if I wanna get rid of it permanently?

If I buy Nystatin again, it will just come back. I am now trying a low-carb diet, along with licorice root brew rinses, but those two are not exactly game changers.

In my guess, I need to combine nystatin with something, but I don't know what that something is. Some other medicine? Nystatin clearly helps but it's also missing something since a recurrence happened.

So around a month ago I was prescribed 1000mg of amoxicillin every 8 hours for 5 days. This was prescribed for a lower lung infection. I had previously been prescribed 500mg amoxicillin along with other medications that never worked.

By the time I finished the script the post nasal drip was gone, nasal discharge was mostly gone as was the thick clear mucus layer on tongue. The only symptom that remained was the feeling of thick mucus in throat and cough. I have had these symptoms for many years. The symptoms apart from the post nasal drip are slowly returning and the dr is refusing another script.

My symptoms: Bad breath Think mucus on tongue Extreme nasal mucus/discharge (mainly in the morning) Mucus in throat Cough Feel heavy in throat Burp/flatulence

My routines: Water, banana/Weetbix with light milk, coffee with light milk I then wait an hour until brushing due to gag reflex. Scrape tongue Brush teeth 15 counts every 3 teeth (front, back, top and sides) Brush tongue with toothpaste and tongue brush Brush teeth again as well as cheeks etc Use oral 7 mouthwash

I have tried flossing the tape gets caught in my teeth and breaks off leaving pieces stuck. If anyone has tips or hints I would be appreciative.

Has anyone had something similar happen and did you find a cure. I am starting to get confused as I don’t know if it’s coming from my sinuses, stomach or lungs. Bad Breath doesn’t seem to be coming from my nose.

P.s I don’t have h.pylori - have been prescribed the treatment a while ago.

-Think I have Gerd

• use a Neti pot and nasonex
• Have tried ppi’s (reflux) but they make my breath worse
• chewing Gum makes my breath 10x worse
• Don’t know if I have tonsil stones as I am unable to find the crypts. (If anyone has beginner knowledge please share)

Desperately trying and failing.

Okay so for the past 5 6 years I've had horrendous breath like it's genuinely so bad people don't wanna be in the same room with me, and I've got into this habit of barely going out I never go in the same room with people stopped going school I can barely leave my room, whenever I'm around people I unconsciously hold my breath to the point I feel like I'm gonna pass out and get these splitting headaches for it, Ive tried everything humanly possible brush 3 times a day eat healthy scrub my tongue wash my mouth with saltwater gargle same with mouthwash Ive done absolutely everything and first off everyone says it's fine when it's not and its genuinely messaging with my head at this point, everytime I go to the dentist they say it's fine and it's clearly not so genuinely what am I supposed to do

Anyone else have post nasal drip/allergies, gum issues, and gerd? How have you been managing your breath? I literally use regular floss and water floss, brush my teeth at least three times a day with crest gum detoxify, use paradontax mouthwash, completely changed my diet to cut out dairy and limit sugar and refined carbs, take a PPI and allergy pill daily, chew xylitol gum etc and I still have bad breath. I’m beginning to think I’ll have this for the rest of my life

Bills are pulling up I’m going deeper into debt. I know my breath is worsening along with my stress they go hand in hand. I’m already depressed I just can’t take anymore. I fight myself getting out of bed everyday. I don’t want to lose this job too but I can’t seem to push myself at all. I hate walking in any place and immediately feeling unwelcome. Even when I try to have any type of joy I somehow offend ppl just by living. I’m turning 21 this year and I’m not looking forward to it all even before bb I struggled with mental issues not seeing a future for myself this has been too hard for me.

Hey guys, did anyone try anything that worked for the white coated tongue? I believe my bb comes from there( Coated tongue and biofilm) and would really like to get rid of it.

Please help!!!!!

I overused antibacterial mouthwash, and I believe it killed not only the harmful bacteria but also the beneficial bacteria in my mouth. Ever since then, I feel like my oral microbiome has been disrupted. At first, I thought it was Candida and self-diagnosed, but I no longer think that’s the case.
Has anyone experienced something similar or found anything that helped restore their oral microbiome? I’d really appreciate any advice or recommendations. Thank you!

My bb is not decreasing or increasing idk if it is still the bb that hindered me but im try to be happy with life and try to join in with ppl. But why did everybody keeps on giving me a blank face and bold attitude.

This is stressing me out so so so bad and it’s pissing me off. I’m tired of having to deal with this everyday and I feel like it’s consuming my life. I’m so angry that I have to type this out because I ended up missing a deadline for my quiz because I was so busy squeezing the life out of my tonsil to get these tonsil stones. I didn’t know I had so fucking much of it in the hole. Like when I thought it was done and I kept pushing, more just get coming and I’m just like what the fuck, when will this ever end. It’s so exhausting and it’s making me really sad, I almost want to cry. Now my right tonsil hurts so bad that I can’t push out anymore without it being so goddamn painful since I made the area so sore. I gargled my mouth with salt water, brushed my teeth, then gargled with mouthwash. My breath smelled fine, and I went to bed. As I’m laying in bed and I turn over, I smell the bad smell from my mouth again so I get up to check my tonsil and I see some poking out of the hole. Fuck my life man. After all that fucking squeezing and all the tonsils I pushed out, you’re telling me that I still have fucking more in my mouth?? Like I feel like I’ll never fucking escape this, it’s just a never ending cycle. I brush and use mouthwash twice a day, and gargle with salt water at least once a day and I still get tonsil stones like what the fuck else am I supposed to do. I’m sick and tired of this ;(