Bad Breath Halitosis Forum

poco333 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:01 am 22.jpg

@AlphaB Your tongue actually doesn't look too bad. You can actually see the fungiform papillae in amongst the filiform ones. I realize cell phone pics don't always do justice to reality. Here's a little clearer pic of mine-- not perfect but not even recognizable from what it used to be. I don't have to ever scrape it or anything anymore this is its everyday working clothes lol.

Isotretinoin (synthetic vitamin A) is a new one to me. If its a gel that you apply topically and let sit on the tongue for a while I wouldn't be too optimistic. Being as it's not a keratolytic I would be cautious as to it affect on other tissues in the mouth. But I could be wrong if you decide to try it I hope it works!

I have tried many things over the years. TCA peel completely clears off the surface of the tongue, leaving it baby smooth, and can taste everything so clearly, but after a week or so the filiform papillae grow back and long again. I used to use urea topically, just holding my tongue out and leaving urea sit on it for as long as I could. It was moisturizing but other than that I just didn't notice much, and that was using it topically every day. Ironic that letting it dissolve in mouth and holding there for ten minutes or so before spitting out is a whole different animal. And I only had to do it a few times (may not need to again time will tell).

Also I am using pure urea, similar to what I posted a link to above. Most of the dental journals mention a urea gel, 30 to 40 percent. To be clear that is not what I am using, never have.

@AlphaB you said three years ago your tongue was fine didn't have issues. Can you trace the problems back to an origin like an antibiotic or antifungal. There is quite a bit of evidence that drugs like Flagyl can cause folks to end up with a hairy tongue (seemingly permanently) even though their tongue was perfectly healthy to start with. Kind of alarming really.

Stevian wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:47 am There’s also a tongue cleaning process called Laser Tongue Debridement, also known as Laser Tongue Rejuvenation, using a combination of laser and high pressure water jet. This may take several visits and cost thousands of dollars. There’re at least 2 clinics in the US that offer this, and I think one in western Canada.

I sort of lean towards the antibiotic oral rinse approach.

AlphaB wrote: ↑Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:29 am

poco333 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:01 am 22.jpg

@AlphaB Your tongue actually doesn't look too bad. You can actually see the fungiform papillae in amongst the filiform ones. I realize cell phone pics don't always do justice to reality. Here's a little clearer pic of mine-- not perfect but not even recognizable from what it used to be. I don't have to ever scrape it or anything anymore this is its everyday working clothes lol.

Isotretinoin (synthetic vitamin A) is a new one to me. If its a gel that you apply topically and let sit on the tongue for a while I wouldn't be too optimistic. Being as it's not a keratolytic I would be cautious as to it affect on other tissues in the mouth. But I could be wrong if you decide to try it I hope it works!

I have tried many things over the years. TCA peel completely clears off the surface of the tongue, leaving it baby smooth, and can taste everything so clearly, but after a week or so the filiform papillae grow back and long again. I used to use urea topically, just holding my tongue out and leaving urea sit on it for as long as I could. It was moisturizing but other than that I just didn't notice much, and that was using it topically every day. Ironic that letting it dissolve in mouth and holding there for ten minutes or so before spitting out is a whole different animal. And I only had to do it a few times (may not need to again time will tell).

Also I am using pure urea, similar to what I posted a link to above. Most of the dental journals mention a urea gel, 30 to 40 percent. To be clear that is not what I am using, never have.

Awesome, I appreciate the picture and additional detail. Btw, did you have a burnt/bitter taste or physically dry/fibrous/unpleasant sensation on your tongue as well?

I ordered some Urea crystals from Amazon, just received it today and Im about to try it now before going to bed. Just finished my oravital abx rinses without any change in my tongue, so I'm really hoping this helps. Fingers crossed!

As to the isotretinoin, it has made zero difference so far.. although I was prescribed a lower concentration. From what I recall reading in the paper on hairy tongue, one patient was completely unresponsive after 4 weeks of low dose isotretinoin, but respond after the dose was doubled. I think the urea holds more promise though tbh.

@AlphaB you said three years ago your tongue was fine didn't have issues. Can you trace the problems back to an origin like an antibiotic or antifungal. There is quite a bit of evidence that drugs like Flagyl can cause folks to end up with a hairy tongue (seemingly permanently) even though their tongue was perfectly healthy to start with. Kind of alarming really.

My best current guess is that the issues started after a new sexual partner. It was a particularly stressful time in my life, I had become recently single after 6 years and hooked up with several chicks that year. My GI symptoms started simultaneously, and after a positive SIBO lactulose breath test, I took a 2 week course of flagyl and Rifaximin. My breath and tongue coating predated those abx, but unfortunately the abx only made my stomach worse. I have been trying to find an answer to fix my stomach and breath amongst other issues that all started with GI issues spontaneously. I'm pretty sure I picked up one of the many millions of bacteria humans naturally carry, and perhaps due to stress/genetics/bad luck/planetary alignment, I drew the short, shitty smelling straw lol.

Dr. Hyland, the creator of Oravital, also said most bad breath is "caught" - picked up from someone we kiss. Scary since some of those bacteria are linked to major issues including heart disease, cancers, alzheimers, etc. Also makes you wonder if there is some common bug present in the local Canadian microbiome, since we have one of the higher rates of IBS worldwide... but i've digressed