ArticlesTopic 08

Breath & Mouth

Bad breath, dry mouth and morning breath, and the quiet worry that someone can tell.

196 articles

Breath & MouthEvidence check
Natural Remedies for Bad Breath: What 26 Studies Found
Herbs, essential oils, oil pulling and green tea are popular fixes for bad breath. A 2021 review of 26 controlled studies of these alternative remedies found results varied enormously and no ingredient clearly worked, with every study at high risk of bias. Fluoride toothpaste and probiotics looked most promising. A Cochrane review of mainstream options found only weak evidence too. Here is what that means for you.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthQ&A
Nystatin Liquid: Use a Medicine Measure, Not a Kitchen Teaspoon
Ask your pharmacist to demonstrate the measuring device for your prescribed oral liquid.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthChecklist
Persistent Hoarseness: Bring Your Voice History to the Doctor
Note when your voice changed and how it affects your day; let the clinician assess the cause.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthConversation script
Tell Your Dentist About a Possible Chlorhexidine Allergy
Before a planned dental treatment, describe any previous reaction and ask the team to check products.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Scared of the Dentist? How Common Dental Fear Is and What Helps
About 1 adult in 7 has dental fear, and it's more common in women. A 2024 review of 173 trials found talking therapy, especially CBT, eased long-standing dental anxiety and phobia, while music, virtual reality and aromatherapy didn't hold up. At one London clinic, 79% of people referred for CBT went on to have dental treatment without sedation, after five sessions on average. Here is what the research shows.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does SLS-Free Toothpaste Help Canker Sores? What Trials Found
Many toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a foaming detergent. For people with repeat canker sores, switching to an SLS-free paste is a popular tip. In an early Norwegian study, ulcers dropped from 14 to 5 over three months after switching. A larger Korean trial found SLS-free paste didn't cut the number of ulcers but made them heal faster and hurt less. A review of four trials leaned in favor. Here's what to know.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthExplainer
Swollen, Overgrown Gums? Your Blood Pressure Pill Could Be Part of It
Calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine and amlodipine can cause the gums to thicken and grow over the teeth, a side effect called drug-induced gingival overgrowth. Existing gum inflammation raises the risk, and good cleaning helps. Here is what reviews and the amlodipine label say, and what to ask your dentist and prescriber.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthGuide
Can Acid Reflux Wear Down Your Teeth? Signs of Enamel Erosion and What Helps
Stomach acid that reaches your mouth can wear away tooth enamel, and that loss is permanent. A 2025 review of 22 studies found dental erosion was more common in adults with reflux. Here are the signs, why nighttime reflux is hardest on teeth, and the habits the American Dental Association suggests.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Twice-a-Day Mouthwash and Blood Pressure: What One Study Found About Oral Bacteria
Some mouth bacteria help the body make nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, and antibacterial mouthwash can knock them back. In a study of overweight adults aged 40 to 65, people who used over-the-counter mouthwash twice a day or more were about twice as likely to develop high blood pressure over three years. It's a link, not proof.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthExplainer
Worried About Bad Breath Others Can't Smell? Halitophobia
Some people are sure their breath smells when a dentist and the people around them can't detect it. At a Belgian breath clinic, 16% of 2,000 patients turned out to have this, after an average of 7 years of worry. Dental specialists call it pseudo-halitosis or halitophobia, and more rinses don't fix it. Here is how to get a check you can trust, and the help that fits if the worry stays.
October 20263 min read
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Xylitol Gum and Heart Risk: What the 30-Gram Study Tested
A blood-level association and a ten-person drink experiment cannot calculate the risk from your dry-mouth gum routine.
October 20262 min read
Breath & MouthQ&A
Antibiotics Before Dental Work for a Heart Condition: Who Still Needs Them
Many women were once told to take antibiotics before every cleaning because of a heart murmur or valve issue. Since 2007, the American Heart Association has limited this to a short list of highest-risk heart conditions, and its 2021 review kept that list unchanged. Here is who's on it, which dental procedures count, and the antibiotic swap it made.
October 20262 min read

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