Pure zinc gluconate may reduce your bb

[Bluerain]

I think most of you may already know about zinc and its ability to mop up the volatile sulfur smelly stuff. Here is a potential remedy for bb, particularly the dry mouth type.

Go out and buy pure zinc (gluconate) from your drugstore at the 50 mg dosage. They're about 10 bucks for 100 tablets in Canada and probably the same in the US. Crush one tablet on a plate using the back of a spoon or flat spatula. Wet your toothbrush and dab the powered zinc gluconate to make a paste but don't put too much water. Brush your tongue all over with the paste and leave it on there for 10s or so. It doesn't taste too good but tough it out. It may feel dry but you'll also salivate. Then rinse your mouth. Don't use more than one tablet or you may get sores on your tongue. Don't swallow the zinc either.

I tried this and then went to the gym for a work out. I usually get really dry mouth from breathing through my mouth while exercising. AFter the workout I did the lick test and it wasn't as bad compared to no zinc. It doesn't seem to work for morning breath though, maybe b/c I there is so much mucus build up from my pnd. I then had a piece of gum on my way home. To test if it helped with pnd bb, I coughed up pnd/mucus from my throat/back of tongue and spread it on my arm (gross but it will indicate whether you have really bb). This usually smells like rotten meat or ****. However, after the zinc and then the gum the semi dry mucus on my arm didn't smell as bad. There was a very faint smell but not overwhelming. This has worked for me twice so far.

So give this a try and let me know if it helps.

[Bluerain]

I forgot to mention that I did drink a lot of water throughout my workout to prevent dry mouth. The workout test is pretty reliable for me since I always get really bb from it. I've had many reactons from people at the gym, mostly the downing down and avoiding eye contact response. Life goes on...

[LJ]

Hi Bluerain:
It's funny how all of us with the same problem seem to come up with similar ideas about how to deal with the problem. I too, crushed up tablets and brushed with them.
I can't think of any zinc products or vitamins that worked for me. However, a researcher in Buffalo, NY, said they, in their limited experiences, small study groups; have found zinc to be the best way to reduce VSC's.
But my mouth dries out from everyone of them; god I can't use that zinc soap crap that comes with the Tung brush; that almost instantly makes matters worse.
I say, see what happens; get some feedback; yes, it's only a real test if you're actually able to smell your own breath. That damn lick test is so unreliable; it really is.
I am one of the unfortunate that has a super acute sense of smell; I get the pleasure of smelling me; I also am learning to tune me out; it's sometimes too overwhelming and confidence shattering...if you know what I mean.
find someone; a stranger on the ****ing street that you will never see again; and ask what do I smell like? Now that's a test...feedback is key. Laura

[oneway]

Zinc did nothing for me either. In fact, it makes my breath so bad that people can smell it even with my mouth closed and that is unusual for me. My bad breath only makes itself known when I talk. It's good to have these discussions though on what works for various people.

Laura, what helped me was to CLEAR everything away from my toungue. You want it as clean as possible. Putting gel or toothpaste on it makes it worse. I used to smear all kinds of stuff on my toungue until last christmas when I had the epiphany I posted about. Always brush with a totally clean brush. No gel or toothpaste. It helps tremendously.

[Bloorain]

It's too bad zinc is not made in some type of liquid form - I wonder if that would make a difference.

Bluerain: I like your handle

[Crepusculo]

Bluerain, do you also get worse bb from taking creating or drinking protein shakes? Because i workout too and creatine makes my mouth really dry. I also perform the "lick and smell" test and it doesnt really smell that bad, just sometimes late at night, maybe because i'm still on creatine and i have this constant feeling of dryess inside my mouth.

[LJ]

Hey Oneway:
I've got to ask what you posted back in December. I have had the feeling of recent and maybe after using every mouth altering paste and rinse available; that I'm doing myself more harm than good.
Antibiotics, antibacterials, soapy toothpastes, alcohol rinses; may have destroyed my oral flora.
It's a hypothesis of mine; here it is: first, we have a predileciton toward an imbalance in our oral flora; for whatever reason; we may even have dry mouth conditions; (by the way I've known people with no saliva whatsoever, and they did not have bad breath; and they did not use regular dental products) so these products themselves could be part of keeping us in this "chronic" state.
Lot's of people have bad breath; it's not unusual really; but it usually doesn't last a whole ****ing lifetime.
when I read some of the posts here; I know damn well these are just some oversensitive individuals that may have had a few bouts of transient bb that someone told them about; and now they think they have a major problem.
The group, the core group of sufferers, respond very similarly to products; and treatments.
I"m working with things that are somewhat neutral and non-drying right now; my own formulas. I use a little Biotene toothpaste; but not everyday; some castor oil; and I'll be adding aloe vera.
My feeling is that if I "baby" my mouth from now on; nurture it with non caustic substances, that I may have a chance at bringing the flora as close to normal as possible. But after what I have done to myself it could take years. I'm with you on this one- oneway- I think you are on to something, which is nothing, which could be something...Laura

[oneway]

Laura,

I am with you. I think I have done more damage than good with all the antibacterial crap I have used over the years. My problem is definitely hormone related. My problems started at puberty. I have had bad BB since I was 13. I am 31 now. It always gets worse just before that time of month which reinforces the hormonal connection, sorry guys if this is TMI! During childhood, I was BB free. As a child, I sometimes used to forget to brush at night and still had clean breath. Something happened at puberty that changed my oral chemistry that made it hostile to the good bugs and a vacation resort for all the bad ones.

I also think there is a stomach connection because when I suffered from constant heartburn last year due to chronic stress and too many painkillers, I had killer breath. When my acidity is under control, breath is more manageable.

Please let me know how you are doing on your new regimen of treating your mouth with kindness. I am trying to do the same. Actually, not applying anything on my toungue since last christmas and brushing with a clean brush and then scraping has actually helped with the chronic dry mouth I used to have; so you are definitely right about treating the mouth with care.

I am also looking for a good probiotic in capsule form that is locally available here in the UK and use that to make my own mouthwash; ie; capsule contents in warm water, rinse and gargle several times a day. Haven't found a good probiotic capsule yet. This is until oragenics releases their probiotic mouthwash which I am hoping and praying will cure my BB forever.

[Bluerain]

I'm really sorry to hear about your results with zinc. I sort of suspected that it may have only a little or no effect at all. I have to agree with you guys about dry mouth though. If only we had constant spit flowing through our mouths all the time I don't think we would have bb. Most of us are probably chronic stressed out, including me, causing us to have dry mouth then bb. My sudden severe bb seemed like it coincide with me moving and staring a new school, which I have to admit has been a tough experience. I've also notice that I have really bad nasal mucus build up and congestion lately.

Bloorain: I've tried dissolving the powered zinc to make a mouthwash. It doesn't seem to work well. It seems to clump together in my mouth. I can see small strings of the zinc. There is a study that shows a simple zinc mouthwash (1%) was effective at reducing bb, the higher the concentration the better. The subjects in the study though may have occasional bb and not like some of us here.

Crepusculof: I don't use creatine or protein shakes. I'm just an amateur bodybuilder hehe Do you drink lots of water during the workouts. I drink lots of water to prevent dry mouth. The lick test isn't going to detect bb from pnd or mucus at the very back of your tongue, where you can't really reach to lick your arm. When you talk the air picks up those smelly compounds from the back of your tongue or throat and gives you bb. Try hawking or coughing up saliva or mucus (if you get pnd) from your throat and then spread that on your arm. Wait a bit and smell it.

Laura and oneway: do you guys have any sinus problems? If so you may have hormonal
rhinitis (nasal inflammation caused by hormonal changes/imbalances from your period or pregnancy). Inflammation may lead to mucus accumulation and bb.