Dry Mouth and Bad Breath: Causes and Solutions - Traditional Chinese Medicine

Dr. Lin Qingzhong reply Traditional Chinese Medicine

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Dear Yuer online friend,
Every time you wake up, you experience dry mouth and a slightly bitter taste, and although you do not have cavities, you suffer from bad breath.
The cause is likely due to internal heat in your organs.
I frequently encounter patients with similar symptoms in my clinical practice.
Bad breath can sometimes lead to issues in marital intimacy.
Accumulation in the organs, such as gastritis, indigestion, or food stagnation in the stomach from overnight meals, liver inflammation, or constipation with fecal retention in the intestines, can often lead to bad breath.
The principle is to address any potential underlying issues related to your internal organs, diabetes, uremia, or hormonal imbalances.
Clinically, treatment should focus on gastritis, regulating qi, relieving bloating, and promoting bowel movements.
The ancient Chinese medical text "Shang Han Lun" mentions one aspect of "Shaoyang syndrome," which states, "The disease of Shaoyang is characterized by a bitter mouth, dry throat, and dizziness." The term "bitter mouth" refers to the bitter taste associated with heat.
It can be said that heat in the five zang organs can cause a bitter taste, but clinically, the most common causes of a bitter mouth are Shaoyang gallbladder heat and stomach fire.
1.
The Shaoyang gallbladder (which differs from the anatomical understanding of the gallbladder) contains essential fluids and has a very bitter taste.
When there is stagnant heat in the Shaoyang, it is prone to inflammation, making the occurrence of a bitter mouth most frequent and pronounced.
This bitter taste is often most severe in the early morning, just before and after waking up.
This is because the qi of the Shaoyang is more vigorous in the morning, and when there is stagnant heat, the struggle between the righteous and the evil is most intense, making the bitter taste more noticeable.
2.
Additionally, excessive stomach fire can also lead to a bitter mouth.
The bitter taste is associated with heat; thus, any presence of heat will result in a bitter taste.
This type of bitter taste is often felt after a midday nap.
Many Chinese people have the habit of napping after lunch.
After eating lunch and taking a nap, upon waking, they may feel a bitter taste in their mouth.
This is due to the vigorous qi of the Yangming channel in the afternoon, making the bitter taste most pronounced after a nap.
Based on your symptoms, it resembles Shaoyang stagnant heat, and traditional Chinese medicine often uses Chai Hu decoction to improve this condition.
Your body does not seem to have any significant diseases, but the bitter taste and dry throat are consistent with the description in the Shang Han Lun regarding the disturbance of Shaoyang, characterized by "bitter mouth, dry throat, wiry pulse, discomfort in the chest and hypochondria, reluctance to eat or drink, lack of appetite, and even alternating chills and fever, which corresponds to the symptoms of Chai Hu decoction." Some symptoms may belong to the Yangming syndrome: "which includes thirst, a rapid pulse, and constipation," corresponding to the symptoms of Bai Hu decoction.
I often determine the treatment based on the clinical presentation of the patient, using the "Four Diagnostic Methods" (inspection, listening, inquiry, and palpation) to differentiate and treat.
I may prescribe a series of Chai Hu decoction or Bai Hu decoction or treatments to clear heat, detoxify, and promote bowel movements.
I recommend that you maintain good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth before bed, avoid fried, greasy, and spicy foods, and seek a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment to improve your dry mouth and bad breath issues.
Finally, I wish you well.
Dr.
Lin Qingzhong, Director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Fengyuan Hospital, and Assistant Professor at Hungkuang University.

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Reply Date: 2012/02/29