Mind and Body : Breathing Easier

For many people, the straw they hold in their mouth at the California Breath Center is the last one.

“They’ve gone to their dentist. They’ve gone to doctors. They’ve tried all the medicines and rinses, but nothing seems to work,” says dentist Richard Katz, who, along with physician Jerry Jacobs, last March founded the only clinic on the West Coast dedicated to combating that bane of all social intercourse--halitosis.

Katz says that 95% of the cases of chronic bad breath--those not caused by such usual dietary suspects--come from volatile sulfur compounds caused by bacteria that flourish because of poor dental hygiene, bad bridgework or a saliva deficiency. (The other 5% comes from conditions in the lungs, nasal passages, stomach and other areas; these patients are referred to the appropriate specialist.)

To determine the extent of the problem, patients exhale through a straw attached to a device that measures the sulfur fumes. Normal breath will ring up around 80; anything over 130 is considered a problem, and some patients have clocked in at more than 400, a level that can be apparent across a room.

Because the germs that produce the sulfur compounds often resist the usual toothpaste/floss/mouthwash treatment, Katz gives patients a special toothpaste and rinse. Available only to dentists, they contain chlorine dioxide, which virtually sterilizes the mouth. “Patients who properly brush, floss and brush their tongue and use the rinse and paste should be fine in four to six weeks,’ ” Katz says.

The cost for a complete dental check-up, X-rays, gum evaluation, treatment and followup isn’t cheap (around $450). But for the hundred or so clients who’ve been bringing their malodorous breath to the center, located in L.A. on Pico near Beverly Glen, it’s a small price to pay.

“It’s the worst frustration and humiliation. I can’t even put into words,” says a Westside hypnotherapist who got her 400-plus breath down to sociable levels. ‘I’m by nature very gregarious, charming and friendly and love people, so before this, I was somewhat uncomfortable.” Not to mention her friends and clients.